This Sickness
by bonegeisha
Summary: Tuffnut's always had a strange attraction for the little viking Hiccup. But, the empty spot at Hiccup's side has recently been filled by Astrid; and Tuffnut's having a hard time accepting that. -TuffCup -Gotta love yaoi
1. My Bad

"This Sickness"

_"What is this illness I have? What is wrong with me? What is my illness? Jealousy? Possessiveness? Envy?"_

She wasn't a bad looking girl. There was a time that every boy in the village wanted hold of her. Well, it had seemed that way. He himself had been excluded from that group, seeing as he had always had his eyes secretly drifting over someone else. That and, he had to admit, he was a bit bias. He had always been fonder of his sister's look and style rather than Astrid's. Not for any other reason than he was very fond of the idea of a female him strutting around.

He enjoyed the fact that no one would ever wonder what he looked like as a girl, and no one would ever wonder what Ruffnut would look like if she were a boy; all they had to do was look at the two of them standing side by side to answer either question. And, in his mind, they were both-by far-the most attractive, of either sex, on the island.

Astrid had her pros. He wasn't so blind as to not see what made all the other boys, including Hiccup, stumble all over themselves to get to her. It just failed to do anything for him at all when he looked at her like they all did. She was a sad excuse for a vikingess. The only good thing about her was the fact that she seemed to not want anything to do with any of them physically. She seemed only focused on proving herself as a warrior woman-he always had wanted to tell her she needed to give up now. Yes, Hiccup was fascinated with her but, she didn't even realize he existed. It had been her only saving grace. Now that Hiccup was the village hero she was plastered to his side. That short little blonde girl was taking him. She was pushing Tuffnut farther away from his goal than ever. She was making an enemy of him; and she had no idea.

Ruffnut snarled as she lunged forward, cutting a thin strand of his hair as he fell back from the jab. "Stop dodging! What are you, a bitch?" She snarled another time, baring her teeth at him as she pulled back and set herself up for another jab, which she took within seconds.

"Don't you wish." Tuffnut growled in response, drawing his upper lip back as he did, clotheslining Ruffnut easily before she could skitter away. Coughing she fell to the ground, where he was straddling her in seconds, holding her up by her shirt front with a tight fist.

"Asshole! You could'a choked me!" She roared, flying up and grabbing hold of his wrist, glowering at the fist he was poising above her. "Do it!" She sneered, grinning wickedly as he opted for slamming the back of her head into the ground instead, pulling her up and lifting his fist another time. She gave another light cough, but tightened her grip on his wrist, lifting herself off the ground this time, swinging for his face. He already had a busted lip, he wasn't going to give her another chance to wound him.

He slammed her head into the ground again, bending forward fast enough to duck the punch. This time, he struck her in the jaw, before even lifting her up again. Ruffnut whimpered, but began to struggle beneath him; she had never been one to lie back and accept defeat. He sat harder on her thin stomach, growling now as his hand moved to wrap around her throat, driving her head into the dirt another time as he struck another punch. This time her legs flew up in effort to strike him in the back of the head, her hands wrapping desperately around his and his leg, blood spilling from her mouth.

"T-tuff...stop!" She screeched, closing her eyes and shying from the third blow he was sending her way. He failed to blink, rather punched harder than before, this time striking for her eye with a blind precision. His grasp on her throat tightened, she reached for him instead of his hand, tears mixing with the blood and dirt on her face. The viking let out a bezerker's roar, striking his twin another time before she managed to let out a strangled scream.

Tuffnut blinked when he realized what he had done. He rolled off of her, running a hand down his sweaty face and taking a deep breath, feeling it shudder in his chest as he did. Ruffnut rolled onto her side, trying to lift herself on a weakened arm, falling face first into the dirt again. She whined, wrapping her arms around herself and rolling on her stomach, unable to open her eyes for the pain. "Gods, Ruff..." He got to his knees and lifted his sister, feeling her flinch at his touch as he did. He sat her up, supporting her by the back before lifting her chin up, turning her wounded face left and right as he looked over what he had done with solemn eyes.

"Y-you..." She choked on the words, doubling over to cough and dry heave. He got up, bending over and forcing her to her feet, limping with her towards the house.

"I forgot who you were. I'm sorry." He listened to his sister's wounded growl, feeling her purposly shove him a few feet to the left.

"I'd HATE to see...wh-who you thought I was..." She even managed to lift her head enough to give half a grin to him. He had to grin back, shaking his own head as he pushed the door to their house open and led her to the table, making sure to sit her down as gently as possible.

"You always could take one hell of a beating, Ruff."

He walked to their sink, pumping water into a bowl before getting a cloth and walking back over to her. She was leaning heavily on the table, her head swaying like a drunk's, her body slumped with the effort of keeping her up. "Yeah, well, if you hadn't gone crazy I would've had you." He lifted her head again, wiping blood and dirt off her cheeks with gentle strokes of the damp cloth.

"Bullshit. You kept yourself wide open half the time. I could'a had you easy, even if I hadn't forgotten myself." He snorted just as she did, her head rolling back in his grasp before he gently moved it forward again.

This was a dance they had spun in and out of over and over again; ever since they were children. They would beat the tar out of each other, for no reason other than a need to destroy. Their arguments could've been settled the same way other children settled arguments; bickering, whining, tattle-telling, all of that. But, instead, they chose to settle their arguments on their own; by tearing each other apart. And, after one too many times, their parents had stopped caring. They stopped trying to pull the twins apart. They stopped trying to take care of each child after the brawls, only to have them fly at it as soon as they were released.

So, the twins had gotten use to taking care of themselves. Cleaning up their own messes. And each time, no matter how hard they hit each other, the one with fewer wounds would carry the severely injured into the house or into the kitchen, sit them down at the table, and tend to the wounded sibling. Each had taken care of the other countless times, to the point that it was almost a comforting ritual for them.

Her right eye was swollen shut, its crease caked with dried blood that was only continuing to layer as more fell over it. He started to dab at it, listening to her take a sharp breath in through gritted teeth, her thin brows furrowing in pain. "Y-you're crazy...I had you..." Her head dropped forward and he sighed, lifting it one more time to continue cleaning it. "Wh-who were you...You thinking...?" She frowned, but couldn't get out the words. She was almost unconscious, that he knew.

His lips pressed into a thin line as he wiped some new blood from her nose, her eyes now closed completely. "Astrid." She lifted her brows with a lazy smile, falling forward again, but he caught her with a quick arm around her waist this time. He knew the words hadn't registered at all, and in the morning, she wouldn't remember a damn thing he had told her.

Lifting the identically lithe body of his twin over his shoulder he rose to his feet, dropping the cloth into the bowl of water on the table with a splash. He hefted her down the hall to their shared bedroom and, as gently as he could muster at the moment, dumped her onto the bottom bunk's mattress. He knelt by the bedside, unwrapping the thin leather thongs from the matted fur of his sister's boots, tugging them off her feet and tossing each boot to the floor. Finally he pushed her legs onto the bed and tugged the sheets from beneath her. "If she's not careful, I'll tear into her just like I did you..."

He was glowering at his sister's sleeping form, draping the sheets over her before standing and grabbing the two or three animal skins at the foot of the bed. Ruffnut had killed each bear these skins came from. His sister was the only kind of woman a viking could ever hope for. Strong, good looking, fearless...She was a female him. Being twins they could do many things other people could not. Part of him wished, for only a few seconds, that meant they could trade bodies. Wouldn't Hiccup want a woman like Ruffnut? Wouldn't Hiccup want a female version of him?_ Doesn't matter what he wants.  
_

Dropping the skins over his sister he turned and started out of the room, not ready to call it a night yet. Still scowling he watched his Terrible Terror scuttle quickly into the room, skittering away from his feet with a quick and fearfully respectful glance up at him before jumping onto the bed and curling atop his sister's stomach.

The little dragon may have been his, for the most part, but it still loved to sleep with Ruffnut for some reason. Tonight, the animal seemed to be able to sense the disturbed feelings rolling off of him in waves, and seemed to know to keep its distance until everything cleared. He had to respect the animal for it; he always thought the little beast was too stupid to understand anything like that. He watched the dragon with narrowed eyes, then turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door with a still hardened frown.

If he wasn't careful he may do something to the little viking girl that he would regret. He wondered what Astrid would do, if she knew how deep Tuffnut's hatred for her had become. And, he wondered what he was going to wind up doing to Hiccup, if he got ahold of the boy before these weird feelings went away.

_"It's getting worse...My illness..."_


	2. What's ailing me

"Tuff...? Hey, Tuff," He blinked, shaking his head and looking away from the stonewall of the arena he had been staring at. Looking to his side with only half interested eyes, he watched Ruffnut resituate her shield on her arm, her own eyes concerned as they looked into his. Her right eye was still swollen pretty badly, and probably should've been bandaged, but she wouldn't have that. Ruffnut had always liked people to see her wounds. She had always liked answering the questions they inspired, and weaving the recounts that followed after those questions. She enjoyed wearing her wounds like a badge of honor.

"You going to be okay to do this? You look kinda like you did yesterday..." Now that she knew something was wrong with her brother she knew to look for the signs she had missed the other day before their fight. He gave a curt nod, tightening his white knuckled grip around the handle of the broad sword he was holding at his side. His gray eyes were once again hardened and glowering across the ring, now focused on the heavy wooden door that rattled before them.

"I need this." He grumbled to her, hefting his own shield up and sliding the leather belts over the thick of his arm. She continued to study him for a moment, continued to wonder if she needed to actually say something to someone this time.

"I don't think you do, Tuff. This lo-" Gobber hobbling over to the giant door caught her attention, dragging it away from her absolutely sociopathic looking twin, and stopping her words short.

"A'right, all of yah get in yer positions. This thing's been in here all damned mornin'." The kids gathered round, their gazes all locked on the door that was violently trembling in its locks. "Remember, yer just trainin'." With that the hook handed man jerked at a link of chains as wide as his good hand. The wooden bars lifted from the doors and they burst open, a blast of fire singeing their clothing as they all jumped out of the way.

The Monstrous Nightmare clawed its way out of the containment room, growling as it looked from left to right for potential threats. Its spiked tail drug across the stones with hissing whispers, the heat radiating off its irritated body almost too much to bear when it was too close. For a moment, the creature was the only thing moving, and the tension blanketing all of them had everyone holding their breath.

Astrid moved forward with a war cry, dropping an axe into the stones near one of the beast's taloned feet, causing it to roar in outrage. She jerked the giant blade out of the worn rock, glancing between it and the snarling dragon with hurried eyes. She stumbled back a few steps as the dragon whipped around, spitting fire at her with an easy grace. Hiccup jumped in front of her, holding up his shield to catch the blaze, saving them both. Snotlout attacked the animal's tail, turning its attentions away from the young couple as Hiccup hastily helped Astrid to her feet.

Ruffnut looked at her stock still twin, watching him stare in rage as the little brunette boy jumped to save his girlfriend. The crinkling of leather made her look down at Tuffnut's sword, her eyes easily focusing in on the calloused knobs of his white knuckles. "Tuff...I really think you should sit this one out..." She reached for his arm, her preferred weapon, a war hammer as tall as her and almost four times as heavy, resting against her bird thin legs.

She didn't remember much of last night, she would admit, but she did remember that Tuffnut had told her he had imagined she was someone else when he was hitting her. And she remembered the way he was brooding and scowling before their sibling's tiff had become an all out death match. She had never seen her brother like this though. He never had let something bother him to this extent before. It looked almost like he was going mad over something. But, even as she tried to follow his eyes around the arena, she couldn't figure out what.

The dragon looped around the stone training area, now clawing straight for them, jaws open, body ablaze. Ruffnut grabbed her hammer and hoisted it into her grasp, looking between her stone still brother and the oncoming Nightmare. "I said I need this." He snarled, gripping his sword and running straight for the animal. Ruffnut's eyes widened in surprise as she watched him take off.

"Tuff, wait! What are you DOING?" She screeched, jerking after him in an attempt to save the boy from himself.

"Thorston! You'll kill yourself!" Gobber lurched forward too, watching the tall blonde lope up to the raging beast, sword held high above his head. The dragons and the vikings had worked out an agreement recently. The vikings thought it was still necessary for their offspring to be able to fight a dragon, even if they didn't have to. If you could fight a dragon, you could fight anything. In future times of war it would come in handy. Why fear another viking if you don't even fear a giant, fire breathing lizard? But, it was just that, an agreement.

The arrangement was an untamed dragon would be brought into the arena for the training. Usually that got the beast use to humans and trained it in a very basic way, setting it up to be trained further by Hiccup or another, to become a pet of someone. The only rules were, the humans couldn't hurt the dragon.

Subdue, yes, hurt, no. If the creature hurt them it was another story, it was the teen's own fault and no repercussions were held against the offending animal. They had yet to figure out what would happen if they hurt one of the dragons, but Gobber suddenly got the feeling they were going to find out.

Tuffnut struck for the animal's open maw, gashing its nostril and sending the beast rearing back in pain. Its long neck curled back and upwards, twisting as it shook its bleeding head and extinguished the fire engulfing its body. It shrieked, still attempting to back up from the unexpected attacker, its bloody yellow eyes closed in pain.

The blonde twin leered, twisting the blade in his grasp before dancing back beneath the creature's feet, dropping the blade onto the animal's taloned feet; like Astrid had feigned doing. It roared again, opening its eyes to snarl down at the smirking twin. Opening its fanged maw and dropping its head with surprising speed, it intended to snap the whip-thin boy in half. Ruffnut tackled him out of the way instead.

"Get off me! Dammit, what are you DOING?" He threw his sister off of himself, snatching his sword off the ground as the Nightmare snapped at Fishlegs, who was banging on his shield with his sword to draw its attentions away. He hated how they all were watching out for each other now. He missed the man on dragon, every man for himself, matches they use to have.

"I should be asking you the same thing! Odin's beard, Tuff! You can't HURT the dragon! Let alone provoke it into eating you!" Ruffnut threw her hand towards the Nightmare as she stared at him with stunned eyes. She had already scrambled off the ground and looked like she was about ready to pin him again.

He got up with a snort, "Yeah, I know. All that subdue the dragon shit." He grumbled, looking away and happening to catch Hiccup in his line of vision. The skittish brunette was dancing under the dragon's heated gaze, the pure epitome of nervousness as the snarling creature regarded him with unamused eyes. Blood still dripped from its torn nostril, and it was still leaving bitter reminders of foot-printed blood all over the stone flooring. Suddenly, it dropped its head again, snapping for Hiccup's waist, just like it had Tuffnut's.

The blonde flinched forward, but stopped when Hiccup moved out of the way fast enough. He relaxed a little as the boy managed to find the spot on the dragon's warm neck, scritching at it the right way to lull the creature into a sleep-like state, stilling the match. "He always was only good for dodging." Tuffnut grumbled, dropping his shield and turning to skulk off. Ruffnut watched after him with a glare.

"You can't go anywhere! You need to stop right here, right now, and tell me what's WRONG with you!" Her bark rang out across the now quiet arena, causing the others to cast curious glances their way, and freezing him in his tracks. He knew when the right buttons had been pushed on his sister; even if he hadn't meant to push them.


	3. Throw it all Away for You

"Throw it all away for you"

His shoulders slumped a bit more, as if she had put the weight of the world onto them with her shout. He remained still though, failing to turn and face her, though he figured she was lucky he had stopped to listen to her at all. She screwed her face up in anger, "Tuff!" Stomping her foot and dropping her own shield to the ground with a loud clatter, she fisted her hands at her sides, basically demanding an answer. He turned to look at her over his shoulder, his eyes tired and slightly confused. Blinking, she realized it looked like her twin hadn't slept right in days.

Standing straight she felt a whimper swell in her throat, something so oddly uncharacteristic of herself that it almost scared her. He had only made her cry once or twice in their life time together. The tears stung in the corners of her eyes, burning bad enough for her to close them and dig her fist into her good one. "Why won't you tell me? What's WRONG with you?" She strained to keep her voice calm and in check, the sting of the lump swelling in her throat making it unbelievably hard to do. He turned to face her again, his eyes softened a bit as he did.

"Ruff...I tell you everything..." He mumbled the words, dropping his gaze to the cobble stones beneath his boots when he did.

She nodded quickly, both having forgotten there was anything to the world around them except themselves. The funny thing was, nine times out of ten they had to remind themselves that there was a world outside of their own. They usually forgot it probably should've been the other way around. "I know! So what's WRONG?" She stomped her foot again, glaring at him once more.

He shook his head slowly, his chest heaving with the weight of the sigh that escaped it. His shoulders lifted in a calm shrug, the sword lazily gripped in his hand moving with each of his gestures. "I can't tell you this one. I just can't." What would she think of him if she knew the horrible things that wouldn't leave his mind these past few days? What would she DO to him? He just knew that she wouldn't be able to accept his thoughts or what he planned to do with those thoughts-eventually. It was just better not to tell her anything.

Her face, once again, screwed up with the intense hatred and anger he was use to seeing there. "WHY NOT? What the FUCK are you hiding, Tuffnut Thorston?" She screeched, lunging and wrapping her hands around his slender throat. Granted, it was bigger than hers, and it took both her hands to even THINK of throttling him, she still knew she could if she ever wanted to. That was the beautiful thing about them, they were forever equally matched; in everything.

He swatted her arms away easily, pushing her back with a light tap to her chest, lifting the sword and pointing its tip to her stomach as she growled and moved forward again. Drawing his upper lip back in a malicious sneer he dared her forward with his flickering gaze. "You'll KNOW when I'm hiding something, Ruffnut. I'm not HIDING anything. I'm just not TELLING you something." He stood there for a moment longer, letting his words sink in before sliding a step back and starting to drop the blade. She opened her mouth to speak when an angered roar drowned out any words she had thought of.

Both of them jerked their heads to the side, watching the Monstrous Nightmare rear back on its thick hind legs, flapping its wings with billowing gusts as it let out another ear shattering roar. Hiccup was knelt in front of the animal, covering his ears and wincing as he stared up at it, wondering what had gone wrong. For a moment, the twins glanced at each other and wondered the same thing, then the ground shook with the dragon falling to it again.

Whipping his head back around Tuffnut watched as the animal set itself on fire once more, spitting for Hiccup. The viking boy managed to dodge, the fire clunging to the stones he had once been kneeling on, spreading out like spilt mead. In seconds he had rolled into a stand and was bolting towards them with terror gripping his boyish features. Astrid ran for her little boyfriend, crying out as she lifted her axe above her head, charging the lizard from behind. The dragon spun around, swatting the girl with its spiked tail. It caught her broad across the sternum, clubbing her off her feet and across the arena into he wall.

Tuffnut lurched for Hiccup, watching the boy make the inevitable and fatal mistake of tripping and falling. The brunette came crashing to the ground, already able to feel the dragon's heated fangs on his body as he did. Instead of biting into him though, the creature reared its head back and let out another shriek of raged pain.

Whimpering and looking up, Hiccup saw Tuffnut standing in front of him with a sword gripped in both hands, his tall body hunched forward offensively. Something hissing at his side made the brunette look down at the rocks he was lying on, drops of the dragon's blood having pooled near his stomach, hissing and spitting as they steamed on the stones. He scrambled out of the way, getting to his feet and covering his head, looking up at the outraged dragon, that was now missing an eye.

Tuffnut's own eyes were sparked with an intense light, the slate gray seeming to flicker with golden yellow. "Come on, attack my Hicca again." The boy snarled, shifting from foot to foot anxiously, staring down the dragon as he did. Hiccup's brow furrowed, his cheeks tinting red as the twin's words echoed in his head and he tried to figure out if he had heard them wrong or not. Before taking the time to find out, the scrawny viking boy decided to run over to Ruffnut, who seemed to be gesturing him out of harms way with wild eyes.

As he did, the dragon let out a roar that almost buckled his knees beneath him. It swung for him, the thick claws attached to its wings hitting his narrow shoulder with a sickening precision. He was pushed to the side and back into the wall before he was truly hurt though, Tuffnut having thrown himself in front of the boy once again. "You stay the FUCK away from my Hicca!"

The twin slashed at the dragon's wing, failing to hit the beast this time. It whipped its head towards him, snapping with bone crushing jaws, Tuffnut rolling beneath its serpent-like neck, spinning around and slicing into the animal's thick hide. This time it let out a scream, rearing back as it spewed molten blood from the wound, only managing to back up a pace or two before its head fell to the ground, the leaking neck unable to support it any longer.

Tuffnut let out a blood curdling war cry, running forward to strike a horizontal blow across the wounded dragon's snout. It shrieked again, quickly lifting its head and throwing the lithe viking to the ground, taking his sword with it. Shaking its head the Nightmare roared, Tuffnut's sword falling to the ground across the arena. Scrambling to his feet he took off at a run, the animal snapping at his heels, determined to bite off his legs. Tucking and rolling, Tuffnut managed to grab a shield as he did, holding it over himself quick enough to keep from being roasted as he lay on his back with his legs drawn into his chest.

Panting heavily he threw the flaming sheild to the side, grabbing a dagger with long fingers, jumping to his feet and running for the dragon again. "Tuffnut, don't!" Hiccup ran for the dragon, stopping in surprise as Tuffnut managed to sink his dagger into the lizard's wounded snout, driving it in to the hilt when he did. The beast roared again, lifting its head with Tuffnut still attached, beginning to shake wildly.

Tuffnut remembered being able to rip the knife out of the beast's gums, and he remembered the acidic burn of its blood spilling over his leather clad hand and arm. He remembered his fingers desperately clawing for purchase on the smooth, coal hot scales of the dragon's wide maw, its jagged fangs striking him in the legs and hips every now and then as it continued to roar and shake.

He remembered going for the animal's last eye, making sure to push the dagger in as far as he could reach, and grinning insanely as the tortured beast finally wriggled him free. "Stay away from. MY. Hicca..." And, he remembered the rocks connecting with his back. But, that was all.


	4. Think I'm in Love

~~**~~_I'm back!^^ So, since we decided to finish off "But, I Lost Myself" I was able to pick back up with this one! I'm sorry I've neglected it for so long and those of you that held out for it, thankyou so much! I know I'm throwing alot at you in one night again, but at least you have something to read now XD Thankyou again so much for all the faves and comments and all out love y'all have given me. It means so much, really it does ;3_

_Now, on an important side note! I need to make sure I don't offend anyone with the next couple of pieces, so yes, I WILL be repeating this in a few chapters, but I want to make sure everyone hears it. I know I've slacked on the porn and mostly given talk and angsty fluff lately, so I'm sorry, but in the next few chapters I'll ker-PORN again ;3 What I need to make sure everyone understands though is that this is turning out to be a dominance story. I'm very fond of S&M, so if I seem to get out of hand or offend anyone in anyway, I'd like you to tell me! Please, be kind about it, but don't be afraid to tell me if I make you cringe, I can tone it down if needed^^; Thankyou for reading! Enjoy! ;3~~**~~  
_

_First flight seals the bond_.

Though, apparently, other things did too. All out dominating one seemed to work just fine also.

The dragon gurgled at him as he rubbed its side down, the heat of its scales warming the sudsy cloth in his hands. He continued to scowl, shaking his head lightly before bending to dunk the cloth into the bucket at his feet. His body ached at him, stopping him halfway and forcing him to plant a steadying hand on the creature's thick hide. He winced, sucking in a sharp breath of air through his teeth as he gritted them and pushed past the pain, bending farther anyways. When he did manage to lean on the bucket he shook his head again, sighing softly in slight frustration. This time the Nightmare curved its slender neck, cooing quietly through its jagged fangs. He looked up, the bitter weight in his heart sinking with a prick of guilt as he came to face its the scared flesh over its empty eye sockets. The creature bowed its head, nudging his shoulder and cheek lightly with the tip of its wide snout.

"Thanks, girl...I'm fine." He patted it absently, snatching the cloth from the bucket with a small splash and standing with a quick motion. The breath caught in his throat for a moment, his eyes shutting briefly as the pain sparked and then ebbed within him. The dragon gave a long breath, its crimson colored side swelling beneath his hand in a measured, comforting motion. He nodded again, releasing his breath before opening his eyes slowly, patting the beast lightly. "I got it...I got it." He pushed the cloth against the dragon's side, beginning slow circles as the spots stopped dancing before him. "Fuck, I got it..." He grumbled, the dragon nodding with him as it turned back around and lapped at some water.

It had taken him a long time to work up to getting out of the bed. With two cracked ribs, a broken rib, a fractured wrist, and broken ankle, not to mention the lacerations all over his body and the third degree burns on his arm and hand, it wasn't surprising it had taken him so long. Two or three weeks, to be as exact as he could be. Ruffnut had nursed him, though a bit begrudgingly, and was still in the process of nursing him, just without so much babying. She had also had to take up most of his chores while he was bedridden and was currently still doing most of the harder jobs that he still couldn't handle. He was bitter and she was bitter, so each of them had decided it was best to put as much space between them as possible.

The dragons had been upset at his little display of raw viking bezerker technique. It apparently was about to get really ugly while he was lying unconscious in his bed. But, the Monstrous Nightmare that had threatened his Hicca and haunted his dreams, had also stood up for him. The dragons had gone back to their usual, accepting the Nightmare's demand for respect for the boy that had almost taken it down with only a dagger. The creature had apparently tried to follow Ruffnut home that night, but his twin had bitterly turned it away, telling the animal that it should find someone else to imprint on. Apparently it didn't give up. The girl allowed the beast into the barn when she found it lying atop it one morning when she went to feed their Zipple Back, Snuff and Snort.

The beast was blind now, its eyes removed by his own hand. The flesh had scabbed and welded together over the emptiness of the sockets, and he washed the puss from the marrs everyday with the same hand. He figured the same thing the dragon must've. If he could dominate her, then she could in the least respect him, and he'd give her the care she needed in return. They had decided to name the blood colored dragon, Scrye, figuring since they had blinded her of the present she must have acquired a vision into the future. She was, by far, the ugliest dragon on the island, with all of her scars and stab wounds, but Tuffnut only told her every now and then how ugly she was; they did match pretty well currently.

Scrye looked up, the yellow of her upper lip curling over the black of her gums, a growl vibrating softly in the back of her serpentine throat. He glanced at the sunlit doorway, confusion playing on his features as he marked that he hadn't heard the dragon upset since their fight. She had become quiet the gentle beast now, almost motherly, towards him. A breeze sent leaves and hay scratching across the pavement of the barn's stoop, the wind tossing the few trees around outside, making them whisper among themselves. Sunlight danced as he turned and looked towards Snuff and Snort, furrowing his brow when he saw them drinking and eating together, nothing appearing to be wrong. The Nightmare was still growling at the open doors though, her fist sized nostrils working slowly as she took deep, calculating inhales of the wind pulsing past. Smoke began to curl and whisp from between her partially opened maw, lips vibrating around bent serrated fangs as she started to quietly snarl.

"Tuffnut!" He whipped around, blinking dizziness away as he watched the smallest viking in Berk come jogging towards him with a beam as bright as the sun he stood in. Something inside of him sunk deep to the pit of his stomach, his body tensing as the auburn haired boy jogged farther into the shadows to meet him. "You're awake! That's great! I was really getting worried!" His voice was genuinely ecstatic, confusing the boy Thorston and putting him off even more than the bitter taste in his mouth. The blonde looked down at his feet, staring into the soapy water of the bucket near the fur of his boot; he frowned even deeper when the tips of Hiccup's little boots stopped in his line of vision.

"Ruffnut was supposed to come tell me when you got up! I was really worried, I kept coming in to check on you and everything." He continued to smile innocently, unaware of the deep discomfort he was causing the taller boy. Snuff clicked excitedly when she saw the boy viking standing in front of her open stall, Snort already twisting and coiling his long neck around Hiccup's shoulders and chest with a grin. Hiccup laughed quietly, turning his attention to the dragon without thought, beginning to stroke Snort's snub nosed snout as she bumped into his cheek with a coo. "Hey, guys..." He murmured, glancing over at Tuffnut, who had now turned to finish washing the Nightmare curled in front of him.

Tuffnut knew the boy had come to visit him in his sleep. Apparently he wanted to stay until Tuffnut woke up, but his sister shooed him off, saying it wouldn't be good for him. Part of him wanted to hug his twin for it. If he had woken up to the pure happiness Hiccup seemed to be showing him right now, he would've cried. It was better for him to stay as far away from the viking as possible. To infect him would kill him.

"Why do you care, Hiccup?" He grumbled, reaching out to stroke Scrye's shoulder as he stood on tip-toes to scrub as much of the top of her back as he could. He focused on his work and on calming the Nightmare, watching her sides labor a bit more and lip continue to quiver, silently now, in response to his upset. She was stoking a fire in her belly and he didn't want to have to take off her tongue to get her to stop this time.

Hiccup looked up at him, surprise registering as his emerald eyes took in his own features, frowning in confusion when he tried to figure out why the blonde was upset. "Because, you were injured. Because you tried to help me. I thought I was doing a nice thing." Tuffnut let a quick and narrow frown befall him as he listened to the tinge of sarcasm in the brunette's voice.

"Thanks, but I'm fine now. I'll see you some other time." He tried to brush him off without being too cold, but the little viking was too persistent. He should've expected it from the boy, he should've expected some sort of struggle, but part of him was warmly, and pleasantly surprised at the amount of upset the brunette revealed to him.


	5. But, it kinda makes me nervous to say so

_Is this how you wanna go down...?_

"What's with you, Tuffnut?! I came to check on you! I was being nice! You shouldn't be such an ass about it!" Hiccup huffed the last part, turning and frowning at Snuff, who was currently making content noises as he scratched him under the chin. Snort bumped his elbow and he looked down, watching the dragon's head curl up towards him with sympathetic eyes, its clicks quiet and comforting. He reached out to rub the top of its spiked head before glancing up at Tuffnut again with the same hurt look. The blonde turned, caught the look, and snorted before throwing his cloth into the bucket between them, splashing them both with warm soap bubbles.

"You came for something else too! I'm not stupid, Hicca, I KNOW you did!" Hiccup faltered and paused when his ears caught the name he had heard yelled in the arena. Rose tints warmed his freckles and he dropped his eyes to the floor, trying to hold back the strange smile that name wanted to split his face with. "You want my thanks? THANKYOU, for almost getting killed, and in turn, almost getting ME killed. THANKYOU, Hicca." The blonde continued on, throwing his arms out to the side in annoyance, glaring in frustration at him. The Monstrous Nightmare Tuffnut had been taking care of turned her head towards him, her blind eyes fixing him with a cruel and protective glare, puss already yellowed and caked in the corners of the black and crimson scales.

He didn't respond for a while, instead went back to petting the Zipple Back, buying himself a second of time as he tried to decide whether or not he wanted to speak the words he was so desperately trying to articulate in his head. The blonde shook his own head, a look of annoyed disgust playing in his slate colored eyes as he turned away, waving him off with the same angered annoyance. He stooped back down, body performing the functions fine, but failing to bend and fall with the same fluid grace Hiccup was so accustomed to envying on the lithe boy. Large, skull crushing hands snagged the cloth, swirling it in the water before pulling it out and letting him stand, Hiccup's eyes following the cloth to the dragon's bent thigh, traveling up the toned length of the twin's arm. They lingered on the muscled chords in the boy's neck, platinum strands falling over his shoulder to obscure the scared flesh from his view, turning his eyes to the thick, furrowed brow of the blonde.

"You called me Hicca." Tuffnut froze his motions, the words failing to register otherwise. Hiccup blinked, a hand on either of the Zipple Back's heads still, using their sulfur smelling warmth for the comfort he needed to continue. He took a breath and pushed on, "You did. In the arena and just now. You said Hicca." His words trailed to almost nothing as he lost steam with each one, eyes falling to the hay strewn floor with already accepted defeat. Slowly, Tuffnut turned and faced him fully, rolling his shoulders back and standing straight as he did. Hiccup slowly let his eyes run up the full length of the usually slumping boy, his head tilting back just so for his eyes to finish taking in the entirety of the boy. With measuredly calm movements the blonde stationed his feet a bit firmer on the ground and folded his arms across his chest, frowning down at the smaller viking, looking as though he were prepared to battle to the death.

"IF I did, would you like to tell me what you're going to do about it, HiccUP?" His voice was low and ominous, promising to show him as little mercy as he had the dragon behind him. Quickly, Hiccup back pedaled, trying to shake off the sting of his actual name being used.

"No, no...! I-I didn't mean it like that, really...!" He winced, holding up his hand in placation, smiling nervously underneath the twin's scrutinizing gaze. He shook his head again, auburn bangs catching in the summer perspiration on his forehead. "R-really, Tuff, honest! I just...I just wanted to..." He trailed, letting his eyes fall once more as he stood straight, coming to a conclusion he hadn't come to before. The blonde continued to wait, ever patient when it came to the decision of violence or not. Slowly Hiccup let the green of his eyes latch onto the gray of Tuffnut's own, taking in the flecks of gold that danced around the ash colored irises. "I just wanted to know if it meant something to you." He murmured, Tuffnut's face showing shock and horror before he could catch it.

The blonde slid back a step, shaking his head and straightening his countenance out, glowering at the hay the Monstrous Nightmare was lying on beside him. "Don't. Okay?" He turned, his tone a somber one Hiccup didn't think the impulsive blonde owned. He took a step forward, reaching out for the answers he knew were sitting right there on the breadth of the boy's marred chest. Tuffnut shook his head though, gritting his teeth and shoving a hand out to stop the brunette, turning to glare at him. "I said DON'T. This isn't something you need to screw with, Hiccup. Just..." Huffing softly and closing his eyes, the boy twin ran a hand down his face, dragging his angular features before releasing them to normalcy. "Just go fuck Astrid or something. Leave it alone." With that he turned his back on him, starting deeper into the recesses of the barn, slouching more and more as he went.

Hiccup stood for a moment, blinking in shock as he tried to wrap his mind around the words and their meaning. Something was there. It was just like he suspected, just like he had thought about more and more as the weeks drug on and Tuffnut stayed in bed; he wanted to know the meaning of that name. He wanted to know why it felt so damned good to hear it. "Tuffnut, stop!" He called out, reaching for the blonde as he started towards him in a light jog. "Wait! You can't just tell me to leave this alone! I wanna know!" He skittered to a halt when Tuffnut's spine stiffened, body straightened, and he whipped around to face him again.

"What part of 'GO AWAY' do you not understand, Hiccup?" He snarled, beginning to slowly advance on him this time, sending him backing up nervously. "You DON'T want to dick around in this shit. So DROP IT and go back to fucking your girlfriend!" Hiccup almost fell over when he tried to avoid the sudden swing of Tuffnut's arm, eyes wide as the blonde jammed a finger at the door far behind them, eyes boring holes into him when he barked the words. When he was satisfied he had cowed the boy into respect again he ground his heel into the ground, turning and starting off one more time, hands fisting at his sides as he did.

Hiccup sat for another moment, debating on whether or not he should really take the twin's advice. Slowly he found his head tilting as he watched Tuffnut take his anger out on a haystack, lifting it with disgruntled strength and growling as he threw it to the side with an impossible force. That brought him to his feet again. He started towards the blonde once again, this time determined to stand his ground, his brow furrowed to read this across his face. "Listen to me, Thorston!" He was surprised at how much like his father he sounded, and dismayed by how child-like he sounded compared to the boom of his old man's tone.


	6. It Won't Help

_"I know, that if I do this...it won't bring us together; No matter how much I want you...You're something I can't obtain."_

The blonde whipped around again, eyes now wide with his glower, hands still tightly latched onto the threads of another haystack. Hiccup hesitated, but bit his lip and pressed on, pushing a free hand against his hip as he pointed a finger at him. "YOU called me the name! YOU made the mistake of letting me hear it! So YOU can TELL me what it means to you! What -I- mean to you! Because, OBVIOUSLY, it's SOMETHING big." He fixed the twin with a sarcastic and smug smirk, chin held a bit higher with satisfaction at the righteous anger he had just shown. He had never puffed his chest out that much or DEMANDED something of Astrid; it was nice to stand up to something.

Tuffnut's grip opened on the haystack, dropping it to the floor with a hiss as the straw struck the smooth concrete. A weird, malicious smirk twisted the corners of the blonde's mouth, his eyes sparking with a broken resolve. Hiccup's heart picked up speed, hammering in his chest like a mouse's, stopping his breath short in his lungs. This time the advance wasn't slow and fear inspiring, it was fast and controlled, like a lion moving for its kill. Hiccup's breath came back, his eyes widening when he saw the inevitable pounce; fear took over and he turned to run. A hand caught his shirt front instead, eliciting a yelp from him as he was jerked forwards and slammed against the strength of the predator's chest.

"YOU wanted this..." The words hissed over his ear, panic quickening his breath at the strange feelings the moist heat of the blonde's breath was stoking within him. He turned his head away, trying to either push the twin back or push out of his grasp, planting a booted foot firmly against the blonde's locked knee and pushing a fist against the muscle of his thinly clad chest. Words escaped him this time, instead a quiet whimper tumbled from his lips when he felt the boy's free hand take hold of his chin and turn his face back to his own. He opened his eyes, once more trying to push away when he saw what looked like the starting threads of insanity in the slate hues.

Instead of escaping though, he was crushed, the air falling from his lungs as his lips were suddenly pressed too hard against the blonde's. Eyes widened, struggle renewed, heart trapped between melting and fluttering in terror. The hand that was now on the back of his head slid fingers farther up into the tangled nest of his hair, nails running over his scalp, pulling the soft strands just enough to tilt his head and send a rush of heat through him. He moaned, losing it to the sudden engulfing warmth of Tuffnut's mouth, his tongue pushing past his lips like it had a thousand times before.

The twin pulled away with a heavy breath, biting at the boy's lower lip enough to draw blood, shuddering when he felt his hips push against his own. His face hardened again, eyes filling with something close to disdain as the hand threading through the brunette's hair suddenly clamped down and twisted with a fierce jerk. Hiccup almost screamed, tears pricking the corners of his eyes as he squeezed them shut, hands flying to wrap around the wrist attached to the offending hand. Tuffnut pulled the little viking's body away from his own, forcing him to his knees before him, groughly lifting his head when the boy tried to bow it in tears. "Do you want to know what that name means to me? What YOU mean to me, Hicca?" His tone was empty as he spoke down to the brunette, brow arching in slight interest when the sniffeling boy slowly managed to nod his head beneath his grip.

"That name is something PURE. It's something BEAUTIFUL, to me." Hiccup looked up at him in confused surprise, the pain of his scalp numbing to something his addled mind could almost push past and ignore. Tuffnut bent forward, pulling Hiccup's head back a little as he did, inciting another pained whimper when he did. "That name is my salvation. The mantra I murmur when I have nothing else to fall back on. YOU, Hicca, are my Valhalla on earth." Again Hiccup managed to sniffle and look at him, the words beginning to sink in, watery emerald hues lowering and softening as he thoughtlessly swiped at them with a quick hand.

"WHY, though?" He looked up at him finally, eyes finally fixing onto his own, bottom lip quivering before he bit down to stop it. "I'm not pretty, I'm not a girl, I'm not even a good fighter. WHY am -I- so great to you?" Tuffnut's grip slacked a little, his face falling as he was confronted with a question he never thought to answer. Did gods question why they were gods? He frowned, gripping down on the brunette's hair again, pulling it to lift him a little higher in posture, glowering as he watched the boy flounder in his grasp again.

"This isn't a matter of SEX, Hicca. I don't care if you're a girl or a boy. This isn't a matter of TALENT either. I don't KNOW why you're so damned important to me. I don't KNOW why I can't stop thinking about you or the things that I want to DO to you. I just know I DO." Hiccup gasped, eyes opening in surprise as Tuffnut suddenly released him, standing to loom over him again. "YOU asked for this, YOU wanted to know what SICKNESS I was hiding inside. Do you want to know what you mean to me? You want to know what I think about doing when I look at you?" He growled, but Hiccup nodded quickly, heart lifting at the fact that, though the blonde was upset about he, he was opening up to him finally.

_~~**~~Alright, time to warn you again if you don't like force, if you don't like domination, and you don't like mild S&M, please turn back now. The next chapter coming up isn't horrible, it's very mild, but I REALLY don't want to upset anyone. That said, I need to take this time to explain something else important._

_Tuffnut's sickness varies in each chapter to fit the chapter, but stays the same at the same time. Now, what I mean by that is, his sickness, the one the story's mainly tilted after, is his forbidden love for Hiccup. But, it varies in situations. It's ALSO his dark desire to utterly dominate Hiccup. When HE talks about his sickness, he's talking about the darker part of him that wants to tie the boy down and fuck him till he screams. Don't get me wrong, he loves Hiccup, that's why he's trying to separate himself from Hiccup. He wants to protect the boy from the twisted side of him that he knows would hurt Hiccup ONLY to reassure himself of Hiccup's undying love towards him. He was Hiccup to submit, because he wants to know that Hiccup loves him. Tuff knows that's not right and it's not normal, so he's doing his best to hide that disease from Hiccup.~~**~~  
_


	7. Gray Area

_"...Still...No matter how much I love you, You DON'T have to answer to me."_

Wiping at his eyes he listened to Tuffnut do something in front of him, body jerking a bit as his clothing shifted about. Hiccup frowned, digging the heel of his palm into his eye before wondering what the boy was really doing. Turning he came face-to-face with the bare lower half of the Thorston boy's body. Eyes widening and lips parting in silent surprise he instinctively moved backwards, trying to get as far away from the strange act as possible, once again trying to squelch the same feelings the earlier kiss had brought to life. Tuffnut's hand shot forward again, Hiccup rolling his head to the side to avoid the strike, infuriating the already upset boy.

This time the hand caught him by the hair again, jerking his head down and forcing his body even closer than before, pushing his lips against the soft warmth of his shaft. Hiccup's hands instinctively planted themselves against Tuffnut's thighs, allowing him to push against the locked strength just like before; and doing nothing, just like before. He shut his eyes against the sight of the thick length, trying to calm his heart as he took in deep breaths, only serving to inhale the ruddy scent that WAS Tuffnut Thorston.

"What's wrong? Didn't you expect this when you came pestering me?" He looked up at the blonde's scowl, tears pricking his eyes again as he managed to push his head back a little. He shook it beneath the ever tightening grasp, giving another firm push against his thighs, only bending his body and letting it straighten back like a young sapling. Pre-cum smeared over his freckles, tears eventually rolling down to wash it away, a shiver of a sob coursing down his spine. He was different enough from everyone else, he didn't want to add THIS to his list too.

"Tuff, I-" He didn't let him finish, rather gutted his words by pushing himself between his teeth and groaning. Hiccup tensed against him, Tuffnut's fingers tangling deeper in the auburn strands as he guided his mouth over his shaft, closing his eyes as his warmth engulfed him. He strained to hold back, pushing the boy as far down as he could go, holding him still before resuming movements again.

Hiccup released a muffled sob, sending vibrations up and down the twin's body that only helped instead of deterring. It wasn't long before he was once again fighting to hold back, struggling to stay in this realm and keep from dipping into the clouds. "Gods...Hicca...!" He doubled over, gritting his teeth as his body went rigid with pleasure, unable to hold back any longer. He loosened his grip on the brunette's head as the wave rode over him, his eyes widening at the sudden release, his head whipping back instinctively. He gasped, a quiet, pleasured whine escaping him as what excitement didn't get down his throat, marked his face.

For a long moment neither of them moved, the stillness of the air only broken by the weight of their panting. When Tuffnut regained his senses enough to look down at Hiccup again, he could only see the top of his tangled hair, the boy's body bent and shuddering. His eyes softened, a flicker of pain in them as he righted his pants and knelt in front of the brunette. "Hiccup...I'm sor-"

He froze, glancing at his hand resting on the boy's back, watching with something close to horror as he pulled it back to watch threads of black slime pull with it. Hiccup sat up, wiping his face and looking at the twin in confusion, furrowing his brow at the strange look. Tuffnut dropped to sitting, looking between his stiff hand and Hiccup's face, watching as the boy licked the inky black off his lips with a small smile.

"It's fine...I shouldn't of pushed you into answering." He murmured, dropping his hands into his lap with a light shrug, blushing as he did. Tuffnut shook his head, the sickness disappearing from the brunette's face, only glossy white remaining. The blonde took in a slow breath, lowering his hand to the floor as he tried to comprehend what his mind was telling him. Hiccup frowned again, but sat up a little and took the twin's hand, pulling it towards him with a small smile as his ashen eyes followed it and finally fell on his own."What's wrong?" Slowly Tuffnut blinked him into focus and let out a sigh.

"Other than the forced respect?" Hiccup laughed, looking away as another blush stampeded over his cheeks, shaking his head after a second. Tuffnut rose to his feet, dropping Hiccup's hand and dragging his own down his face again, groaning quietly. "I can't do this. I shouldn't of done what I did and I can't do this now." He turned to look down at the shocked viking at his feet, watching his quivering emerald hues widened and harden in upset. "I'm sick, Hicca. And every time I touch you, I'll make you the same way. I'll tear you apart from the inside out, just to find myself alone in the end. I'm not doing it. To you or myself." He shook his head, starting towards the dragons, who were watching and listening intently.

_~~**~~See? It wasn't so bad in the end^^; Again though, when Tuffnut speaks of his disease he's speaking of his need to make Hiccup cry. He's not calling "being gay" a "disease" lol He's not talking about that at all XD Just to give everyone a heads up~~**~~_


	8. I Won't Let You

_"What rots me from the inside...I will not transfer to you. What melts the flesh from my body...I will not spill on you. What makes me scream at night...I will not let it haunt you. What makes me strike you, what makes me wound you, what makes you cry...Will turn my back on you. I will save you from my hand...Even if it slaughters me in the process._

_You are my Eden."_

Hiccup turned, smearing his own hands over his face before unsteadily getting to his feet, watching after the boy Throston twin in open mouthed horror.

"You can't DO THAT! I'm not letting this END that way!" He started to run for the blonde, but stopped when Tuffnut slowly turned towards him, reaching out to run his fingers absently over the cooing Nightmare. "That isn't FAIR! You're not sick! If you are then I am too!" Hiccup stomped a foot, almost screaming he was so upset. Tuffnut shook his head though, frowning a bit deeper as he did, watching his distorted reflection in the blood colored scales beneath his hand.

"Don't say something so stupid." He grumbled, Hiccup smirking as maliciously as the blonde had before, putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head at the raw spot he had found.

"It's true! I'm JUST as sick, and JUST as black on the inside as YOU are. I HAVE to be. I ENJOYED your little show back there." He pointed towards the back of the barn and the spot they had been in, then grinned back at the grimacing blonde. "That's right. You MARKED me with your STUPID, imaginary sickness, and I ENJOYED every fucking bit of it." Another smug look of satisfaction took over his face as he once again revealed in the power trip he went on when he got to fight back.

Now he knew why the twins fought so much to be the right one, and why Tuffnut felt the need to completely dominate anything he went against; even him. It was an amazing rush. "So, you CAN'T just leave me and pretend THAT shit never happened. It DID, whether you fucking like it or not." He pointed to the back of the barn again, frowning another time as he remembered how pissed off he was at the exchange before hand.

Tuffnut turned on him, glaring and balling his fists as his side again, vainly sucking in deep, calming breaths through his teeth as he stomped towards the brunette again. "-I- decide what goes on here and -I- say you need to back the FUCK up and go wash the STINK of this whole MISTAKE off by sticking your prick in ASTRID." He jabbed at Hiccup's chest as he spoke, snarling while backing the smaller boy up a few paces, eyes once again boring holes into him. "I'm NOT going to ruin EVERYTHING you mean to me because I'm so SELFISH I have to go and stick MY prick in YOU! You are NOT going to LET ME ruin everything I have done to STOP this DISEASE from taking over the BOTH OF US! Now, ." He threw his finger at the doorway, leaning so close that their noses grazed each other every time one of them took a breath, then he backed up.

Hiccup didn't know what to think and he didn't know what to say, he just stood there looking at the floor and rubbing his arm, knowing that he didn't want things to stop like this. Knowing that he didn't like the suddenly empty air between them. For a few seconds he had felt connected to someone in a way he had never felt before. For a few seconds the air around him didn't seem so empty, didn't seem like it was lacking something. And, for a few seconds, though he was terrified of it, he had been HAPPY to do something sexual.

The blonde whipped back around when he found Hiccup standing there like a kicked puppy. He bit back his softer urges to go hug the boy and pull him in the hay for a nap. Instead he tightened his lips and took a quick, threatening step forward, making the smaller boy flinch into recognition. "FINE. YOU won't leave? I'LL leave." He spun on his heel, kicking the bucket of water as he passed it, storming out of the barn as he tried to forget the hurt in the boy's eyes.

_~~**~~AGAIN, He's NOT saying that "being gay" is a "disease" XD I want to make that loud and clear. Do NOT take this conversation the wrong way, read the entire story before reading this section! Tuffnut is simply saying that he's infected/sick/diseased because he WANTS to beat the hell out of Hiccup, tie him down, fuck him, and expects the boy to still say "I love you" in the end. He doesn't want to HURT Hiccup, so he's separating himself from him. He THINKS he's being a man lol~~**~~_


	9. How Can You Do This to Me?

_"Sometimes, I swear, I made you up just to hurt myself..."_

Not knowing what else to do, Hiccup collapsed to the floor, crossing his legs in front of him and dropping his head into his hands with a gut wrenching sob, unable to tone down the noise or tame his features into something remotely decent looking. He simply sat and cried, not caring who heard or who saw.

Slow, heavy movements startled him into jumping, jerking his head up and looking around to see who had caught him, hand flying to his face to wipe the snot from beneath his nose. The giant, Monstrous Nightmare that hated him so much was moving across the barn. She was slowly dragging her tail and wings across the floor, circling around him blindly, once again taking deep inhales to understand where he was and what he was feeling.

Terror pricked at his heart when he realized he didn't have on of the twins here to keep the unstable creature from attacking him again. He tensed when the beast settled on her belly behind him, tucking her legs beneath her and folding her wings on her back, slowly twisting her neck and head to face him calmly. He stared for a moment, unsure of what to do now that the thing had decided to nest behind him for a bit, when her spiked tail lightly thumped against his leg.

He did a quick double take between the appendage and the lizard's face, watching for signs of upset, not really sure of how to talk to a dragon with no eyes to belay its emotions. The tail tapped him again, the spikes catching on his clothing and pulling it towards her. Slowly he took the advice and crawled towards her, falling into her side when he reached it, feeling the strong tail coil around his lower body as he curled into her radiating warmth. Tears rolled down his cheeks again, his mouth trembling as he tried to hold it back, burying his face in the smooth scales and balling his fist on her side.

"He-he's such a fucking je-jerk!" The dragon nudged him with her snout, moving him closer to her belly and nuzzling through his hair with quiet murrs and coos. The thin, yellow membrane of her wing came down over him, shielding him from the open door of the barn and the world of prying eyes. He let his body do what it wanted then, he broke down and cried once more, latching onto a single, incoherent phrase as his mind lost itself to the angry sorrow, "He's such a jerk...!"


	10. MAKE me, and I will

_~~**~~ Hey everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated! Things went crazy around my house for a while and I had no time to sit down and spit out some more stories^^; I know this is just some filler and fluff, but I'm doing my best to get to the good stuff, I promise! It's just taking a bit longer than normal^^; I have to say though, thank you so much to all of you that have left such beautiful comments and sent me such wonderful encouragement via the inter-web! Again, I'm sorry to disappoint you with so little, but I promise, I'm concocting more to post as we speak! Thankyou all again! I hope this makes you smile at least a little!^^; Enjoy!~~**~~_

_ "If only I could turn back time...If only I had said what I still hide..."_

He couldn't beat himself up over this forever. He couldn't stay in the house forever. He had to leave at some point. He had to face the music sooner or later. There was no taking back what he had done. No clearing the slate for another try; that he knew. He had wounded the only person in the world he had wanted to save, and now there was no taking it back. Better to just keep the distance. Better to just keep to himself.

"Tuffnut! Let's go, we're late as it is!" Ruffnut swung around the doorjamb, gripping onto it with knobby knuckles, looking at him with exasperated eyes as her thick braids swung before her narrow torso. He looked up, sitting heavily on her bedside, hands folded in front of his face in thought. She blinked, charcoal gray hues softening as they caught the bitterly frustrated look in his own slate colored irises. She stood straight, slowly dropping her hand to her side, watching him rub at his forehead before dropping his own hands limply between his legs, his eyes following them.

"I'm not in the mood to go, I told you that." He grumbled, unable to look at the pity trying to shine through her eyes at him. He slicked the hair back on his forehead, his dirt smeared fingers tangling in the fine strands the farther they went back, annoying him into dropping his hand and pulling his own hair. He sighed, groaning beneath it as he covered his face with his hands tiredly, "I hate life..."

"Come on, you can't stay in the house forever. The fresh air will do you good." She started towards him, stretching out a hand and smiling as gently as she could. He glanced up at her, peering through his fingers to do so, catching the strange, Cheshire grin stretched over the delicate angles of her face. His sister had her moments where she was intensely feminine, she had her moments where he was reminded she was a woman after all; but, right now was not one of those moments. Though she meant gentility and kindness, her smile came off as strange and out of place. He didn't like it when she smiled with anything but mischief and malicious thoughts; like him.

"I'll go to the damned barn then. I'm NOT going to this thing." He stood up, striding past her in one pace, brushing off her hand with a firm push of his own; failing to look at her as he did. She turned around, features hardening as her fists planted on her hips, legs locking in an angered stance.

"You can't stay out in the barn either! You NEED to go to this! People are starting to look at me weird when I go places alone." She threw up a hand as she finished off her sentence, rolling her eyes when he turned to look at her again.

"Let them talk then. -I- don't want to go out, let alone go see most of the village for this stupid send off dinner." With that he started for the door, slouching as he walked, scowling as he continued to kick himself over what he had done two weeks ago. Something struck the back of his head, hard. He turned, something striking him in the face this time, bending his nose to remind him that it was attached to his face still. "Sonva'-!" He snarled, opening his eyes to glower at his twin, holding his nose while she held an unpolished crystal loosely in her grip.

Ruffnut grinned, shifting between feet slightly, rolling the shimmering rock in her fist as she watched the anger boil beneath her brother's skin. "I always KNEW this stupid crystal collection would be good for SOMETHING someday." Another half cocked grin, another perfect tilt of her head, and he was running for her. She pitched the rock, watching him duck for a full body tackle, the rock bouncing off the back of his wool vest pointlessly. She slammed into the floor, crying out with the pain before shooting her hand up, blindly grabbing a fistful of his hair and pushing her fist into his face. Opening her eyes she bore her teeth at him, feeling his hand push at her windpipe as she shifted her boot beneath him, working it between their crushed bellies to plant the sole of her foot against his stomach. "You're GOING to this fucking dinner!" She roared as she shoved him backwards, releasing his hair to let him fly to the floor, hastily rolling to her feet and lunging to pin him.

His hand shot across her face, whipping it to the side with the force of the blow, blood dripping out of the corner of her mouth as she crouched in stunned awe at the pain blossoming beneath her skin. "I don't WANT to!" He growled, sitting up and catching her hair, burying his fingers beneath the tightly pulled lochs of blonde atop her head. She screeched, her head crashing to the floor, the noise gutting in her throat on connection.

Blinking and gritting her teeth she flattened her hands on the wooden planks beneath them, stretching her long leg out behind herself quickly, kicking his knees from beneath him. Her brother fell to the floor beside her, his jaw snapping shut loudly as she jumped up, body slamming him into the floor again when she landed atop his spine. Grinning wildly she grabbed at his hair, wrapping it around her wrist and fist, pulling his head back as she went, straddling him heavily.

"Oh, you're going. AND, you're going to fucking ENJOY it too." His eye rolled back to face her, narrowing to a slit as it focused in on her, his upper lip drawing back in a snarl. Biting back the pain he growled, stretching his arm out and rolling onto his side, throwing her to the floor once again. She screeched, his leg locking around her waist, the weight of his body crushing her into the floor once more. He stood up, pinning her stomach against the floor with a boot, turning to face her before moving the boot to the back of her head. He watched her body rise and fall with determined breath, fingers drumming against the wood beneath them as she bided her time, glaring over her bony shoulder at him.

"MAKE me, and I'll go." He sneered, pushing her nose into the floor before he turned and started towards the door. She pushed up as soon as she was released, turning with her hands outstretched, fingers bent like claws as she let loose a cry of upset. He spun to catch her, each baring their teeth as they grappled in and out of the bedroom doorway, doing their best to throw the other to the floor first.


	11. It's not you, It's me

_~~**~~ Right, so the first line is from the Incubus song "just a phase"...it seemed to fit this portion of the story well and inspired me to write a little more XD Anywho, I feel the need to ask...I need a few ideas for the continuation of the story! I've got a sketch of a plot worked out for this, but I'm starting to feel like my sex scenes are running too close to the same every time. I don't want to get boring/predictable/monotonous...so please, if you have ANY ideas, DO tell me! Whether you put it in a review or send it to me in a note I will reply and if I use it I'll be CERTAIN to give you credit for your idea! ;3 Thankyou all so much for reading and being so sweet! I'll update again soon, promise! Enjoy!^^~~**~~_

_ "I am bottled, fizzy water, and you are shaking me up..."_

"Hiccup, don't fill up on mead, you're dad'll be upset if you don't eat something." Astrid patted his shoulder lightly, glancing around as she gave a false smile, leaning in to hiss into his ear. He closed his own eyes, fighting back the groan that was building in his throat, gripping the metal tankard in his hand and chugging out of it instead. "What's WRONG with you? I thought I told you to lay off!" Astrid spat at him, turning and snatching the mug from his hands with a slosh of the amber liquid. He rolled his eyes, shifting to the side slightly in effort to escape her claw-like grip on the back of his shirt. "It'll look bad on me AND your dad if you get tanked. Go SIT somewhere." She turned, sitting the half empty mug on the battered wood of a table near to them, slamming it a bit as she did. He watched her stalk off, tossing thin flaxen hair over her shoulder and giving another bright smile to a vikingess that his father battled along side of sometimes.

Turning he grabbed the tankard off the table, clutching it as hard as he could as he drew it to his chest, titling his head back and emptying it of the fiery liquid it contained. He started towards a giant barrel on the back wall, aiming for his third refill of the night; and it was early yet. Astrid's laugh filtered over to him, making him glance over his shoulder at her tiredly, watching her mingle with everyone he was SUPPOSED to be mingling with. He turned around, sighing tiredly again as he filled his cup, studying the liquid stream as it fell loudly into the dark depths of the tankard.

His father had always wanted him to be a bigger part of village life. He had always wanted him to speak at these dinners, talk to everyone that was important to him...start to become the village chieftain he was supposed to be. Astrid was all over it. She was doing everything he was supposed to, urging him to do it alongside of her, actually forcing him most of the time. He pulled the cool metal of the tankard to his lips, inhaling the scent of the liquid before letting it slide down his throat. He began to wonder if he stayed with Astrid, if he'd become a drunkard. It was the only way he'd be able stand alongside of the girl with a smile.

That wasn't fair. He shook his head, dropping the mug to curl his second hand around it, turning to look out over the slowly filling meeting hall. His father was laughing and greeting everyone, telling them all to help themselves to the mead, that dinner would be out soon. The dinner was to send off another scouting party to the island they had been looking at. Some of the men were staying behind with some of the dragons to start out a new, smaller village, to see if the second island could support them as well as this one. It had been a long process, and there was still alot more stretched before them, but his father was making it all happen smoothly. Astrid was just trying to make him happy. She just wanted to be part of the family, because she loved him. It wasn't fair for him to take his anger at Tuffnut out on her.

The blonde's name echoed in his head as it darted through, forcing him to close his eyes and drown the noise in another gulp of mead. He still wasn't sure what had gone on two weeks ago. He still wasn't sure what had happened even longer before that...Why he had thought he had heard the lithe viking screaming his name protectively as he mauled the beast of a dragon he now called a pet. Hiccup shook his head, dropping the mug level with his stomach, staring at the pitted wooden planks stretched out before him, and the soles of the boots of the vikings that milled around near him. It hurt to think of Tuffnut, especially because the boy hadn't come to apologize yet.

But, what hurt even worse was the fact that he hadn't seen Tuffnut around the village at all lately, and when he would manage to spot Ruffnut, she would always brush him off with a blunt response of, "He's in that damn barn still." Hiccup didn't know what to make of that. Was the blonde avoiding him? Was he staying in the barn all the time because of what had happened between them there? Or was Hiccup himself trying to piece together pieces that didn't fit, in desperation to appease his aching heart?

A commotion at the door caught his attention, along with everyone else's, it seemed. He looked up, blinking in some surprise as he watched Ruffnut stumble through the door, looking as though she had been pushed through the threshold. Staggering to stand straight she whipped around, her heavy braids thudding loudly against her torso as she shot a slender hand through the darkened doorway, latching onto something tightly. Hiccup took a small step forwards, his grip tightening on the battered metal of the tankard in his hand. Ruffnut jerked her twin through the doorway, growling as the boy stumbled past her with a snarl of his own. She released his shirt front, sending him tripping into a young vikingess that Hiccup had only seen once or twice before.

Ruffnut smirked, brushing her hands off before turning to smile triumphantly at everyone, nodding and giving small waves to people she knew and recognized, then turning victoriously to her brother as he righted himself and turned back to scowl at her. The female twin smiled and gestured to the expanse of the room, everyone having lost interest by now and gone back to what they were doing and talking about. The towering boy turned and looked viciously over the room, every muscle in his form tensed for escape as he did. Suddenly Hiccup found the slate grays latched onto his gaze, boring into him from across the room. His cheeks flamed, soft echos of the blonde's groans of pleasure dancing through his mind suddenly.

He looked down, flexing his grip on the tankard to remind himself of where he was and who he was around, forcing himself to take in deep breaths and douse the fire in his lower half. He couldn't help but smile though, happy that Tuffnut had wanted to hold his gaze for as long as he had, happy that the blonde had apparently sought him out in the room first.

He beamed, looking up and tossing strands of hair from his eyes as he did, excited to see the twin a second time for the first time in what felt like years. Instead he found himself grinning at an empty spot in the room. His heart sank as his eyes darted frantically around the hall, finally spotting the blonde's broad back, and the woman he was talking to. If possible Hiccup's heart sank farther into his stomach, his gaze following it to the floor again. Why hadn't he seen that one coming?

"Hiccup, what are you doing? Come on, your dad has someone he wants you to talk to." He looked up again, letting the heartache and fatigue show in his eyes this time as Astrid walked over smiling, holding out a slender hand. She paused, tilting her head as she placed the hand lightly on his back, some concern taking over her features. "Are you alright, Hiccup? Did something happen?" He shook his head, looking away from the pity in her eyes, feeling her take his drink from his hand and set it on a table they were near. "Are you sure?" He sighed heavily, glancing up to see Tuffnut glancing over his shoulder at them, a frown dominating his features as his strong arms folded over the bredth of his chest.

"I'm fine...What do you need me to do?" He turned back to Astrid, taking in the soft round of her face and the thinness of her neck. Her eyes suddenly seemed to large, her mouth following suit, her hair too stringy and short.

"Just come on. No more mead, okay? I think you're a little drunk as it is." She took his hand and turned, starting to lead him through the sparse crowd with a shake of her head. He could only feel a tingling buzz in the back of his head at the moment, but, with any luck, by the end of the night he wouldn't know who he was or where he was. Hiccup turned and looked one final time at Tuffnut, but the blonde was turned to speak with his twin and the same girl, his sister's arm wrapped around the strange girl in a friendly manner that seemed odd for her. With any luck, by the end of the night, he wouldn't even know who Tuffnut was.


	12. Timed Out

_~~**~~Hey everyone! XD Wow, so I'm sorry, once again, for the lag in updates! I mean, I've been away from updating this story forever! Don't worry though, as you can see, it's not abandoned yet! lol I just ran out of creative juice for a while and no one could help me get it back, but I think I've gotten on the ball again^^; Please read and review and expect more to come! Everyone enjoy! ;3 ~~**~~_

"Timed Out"

_"We're sorry, your connection has timed out. Please diagnose the problem and try again later."_

He was having trouble keeping his eyes off of him. The little brunette was being drug around by his demanding girlfriend, maneuvering all over the hall to speak to anyone they could come into contact with. There were only two problems with that. One: He didn't seem to WANT to be drug around, instead seeming too attracted to any abandoned and half filled tankards he could scrounge up on the tables they were near when no one was looking. Two: He wasn't coming his way; ever. Matter of factly he seemed to be avoiding him like the plague; without ever looking at him at all. It was like the scrawny viking knew where he was without really having to pay attention. It was starting to drive him mad.

Part of him wanted to throttle the boy for ignoring him, when he was so obviously here just for him, and the other part of him just wanted to talk with him face to freckled face. The sickness reared its ugly head at that thought. It growled from deep within his chest, doing its best to work the noise up his throat before he washed it back down with a swig of mead. Images of his hands wrapped around the brunette's thin throat burned through his brain, the boy gasping for air on the tail of a long moan, eyes rolling back in their sockets as he slammed their hips together in a bone shattering grind.

Tuffnut blinked and shook his head, heavy brow furrowing as he dropped his eyes to the floor and touched his throbbing temple. He ran his tongue over his teeth, trying to squelch the diseased desires inside of him, trying to shake off the thoughts that were playing through his mind on an unforgiving silver screen. He brought his drink to his lips again, finishing its second half off in one hefty swallow. His father had taught him to drink like a man, and how to drown the undesirables in the drink alongside of it. He frowned, able to feel the tension still coiled tightly around his form, almost making him buckle beneath the sudden pressure. His mug dropped to comfortable level in front of his chest, eyes following it, gaze latching onto his hand as it held the mug's handle; he was shaking.

The thought of all these people knowing something was wrong with him, the thought of his body betraying him at such a time, of showing weakness to all these important villagers, enraged him. His sight flickered, winking in and out of a black haze that he was grinding his teeth against. He closed his eyes, bowing his head and tangling a hand in his fine hair, tugging invisibly in desperation to distract himself from his fast fading control. His mug began to dance in his grasp, only serving to make things worse, as if mocking him.

"Tuff? Did you hear me?" Ruffnut's slender hand grazed his shoulder, cool against the heat of his skin. The sound of her voice infiltrated his thoughts, filling his ears enough to snap his eyes open and whip his gaze to her unsuspecting own. Concern filled her features for a second, her lips parting to ask him that hated question. "Are you alright?" Almost enough to send him over the edge again.

He straightened up and shook his head, smoothing a hand through his hair before coughing into his fist, shrugging. "I'm fine." She arched a brow, a smirk playing in the corner of her thin mouth.

"Oh really? So I just imagined the look of death you just fixed me with a moment ago?" She cocked a hip to the side and he pulled from beneath her hand, nodding his head as he did. His gaze traveled around the room again, upset playing in the back of his mind as he realized his little almost episode had lost him track of his little viking.

"All in your head, yes. Surprising, considering how empty it usually is." He spotted the boy, staggering his way towards the open door, stumbling every few steps of the way. Tuffnut started off after the brunette, shaking his head as he wondered where Astrid had gone off to. All that hovering and demanding she was doing all night and she chooses the worst moment to let her charge out of her sight. She chooses the one moment that Hiccup is at the bottom of the mug to walk off and let him fend for himself. This rate he'd fall down and hurt himself. Couldn't have that. He was just going to make sure the boy got home without a scratch; nothing more, nothing less.

"Tuff! Where are you going?" He gave a clipped shrug of a single muscled shoulder, tossing his hand up in a half-assed wave before dropping it back to his side and starting to push through the crowd again. She wouldn't come after him. Ruffnut had better sense than that. She'd attack him when she got home. He'd put up with it tonight, if only for the moment ahead of him. Sure he was just going to walk Hiccup home, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy being alongside of him for a bit.

"Oh I know...I know...!" _Why is she telling you then?_ The question had been roaring like a fire in his brain all night. He wanted to scream it at her. If he had to hear the phrase leave her mouth one more time he'd spit nails. All night he had been drug around behind her like a dog on a leash. And all night he had let her do it. Better to have someone guide him through the motions while he was drinking himself into oblivion than to be left tripping all over like a fool. But, no amount of mean in the world could tune her voice out completely; and it was grating on his nerves worse and worse every second that ticked by.

He turned around, spotting an abandoned tankard sitting on the table they were standing next to. The chubby metal mug looked like it was standing guard over the gnawed at meat and bone scattered all over the metal plate it was on. Something sparked in the emerald of his eyes, the little voice in the pit of his stomach squealing in delight at the promise of an even closer, even tighter, embrace of the black abyss that was inebriation. He didn't even sneak a glance over at her this time, just dropped her hand and turned, snatching the mug and biting down on its rim before someone could pull it away from him.

His eyes closed as he dropped his head back and let the tepid liquid swim down the back of his throat, a gulp echoing in the shadowed confines of the mug before he could stop it. He almost tossed the mug back on the table, spinning back around on his heel with a goofy grin, quickly regretting the motion when the room rocked around him for a second. He bit his tongue, pushing a hand against his forehead to make the sudden throbbing ache to go away.

Astrid frowned lightly, noticing the woman she was talking to wasn't paying her attention any longer. She turned, glancing at Hiccup to see what he could be doing that was so strangely interesting. He looked pale and green all at the same time, his hand trembling as it tried to hold his head steady, a look of pain arresting his boyish features. She frowned a bit deeper, reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder and startle him into jumping, making him whimper when he did so. "Are you alright, Hiccup? You look like,"

"I'm going to be sick." He groaned, wincing as he turned and tried to stagger away, obviously straining to keep himself upright. His free hand flew to wrap around his stomach, clutching at his tunic and twisting in the fabric. He paused and doubled over, gritting his teeth against the retching lurches that were trying to work their way up his spine. Astrid came over and grabbed him by the arm, shaking her head with a scowl at him before looking up and smiling to the woman they had been speaking to, waving a small plea for excuse as she started to motion Hiccup off.

"You're embarrassing me and your father, you know that? I thought I told you not to drink any more." They weren't going to make it to the door, she knew that as well as he did. So, she led him into a shadowy corner and kicked a mop bucket over for him. He dropped to his knees, tears rolling down his cheeks as he opened his mouth and emptied the contents of his stomach into the grimy water at the bottom of the wooden bucket.

"Fu-ck..." The groan tapered into a whine as he found a second to smear the back of his hand over his open mouth, drawing in a quivering breath. He blinked, planting his second hand firmly against the dark of the wall he was standing next to, managing to take in another slow breath. He might of gotten lucky, he might've just needed that one good cleaning. The thought seemed to strike a chord his body didn't like. He doubled again, yelping as he wrapped both arms around his knotted stomach, feeling like someone had just sunk their fist into his bowels. His knees gave way as he lurched forward a second time, vomiting over Astrid's bitter words.

"You had better not touch any more tonight. I would send you home, but you need to say something to the congregation before you leave, so you might as well wait till your dad gives his speech." She just kept talking. He wasn't sure she had an "off" button; a thought that terrified him. He couldn't imagine having to listen to her day in and day out. Not when he could be listening to the rumbling growls and groans of a deeply satisfied blonde twin he knew.

He sat back on the floor, leaning back on a hand as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve this time. A cough escaped him, but he suddenly felt lighter, and much better. Of course, now his head was clear...it hurt, but it was clear. Which explained why he could suddenly FEEL Tuffnut's hands roving and groping all over his body, the warmth of his calloused fingers roughly leaving no inch unexplored. He dropped his head back, closing his eyes and reveling in the almost forgotten feeling, a small smile pulling at his lips as his body relaxed and heated beneath the comforting phantom touches.

"Are you done?" She didn't wait for an answer, matter of factly she pulled him to his feet as soon as his eyes opened and the words left her tongue. "Come on, she'll be wondering where we went, people will start to talk, Hiccup." She started him off towards the crowd, forcing him to blink as they entered the candle light once more. They were moving too fast. The room was too bright. And he was pretty sure the noise decibel had just risen to an obscene level. He tried to tug against her hold, whimpered as he opened his mouth to tell her he needed to stop for a moment, needed to go back and hug his mop bucket again, but she jerked him forward without a word.

"I'm sorry, poor Hiccup needed some fresh air. All the heat was making him a little sick to his stomach." She waved his temporary condition off dismissively, smiling at the vikingess once more as they stopped in front of her and picked up the conversation again. "Oh, I know..." She nodded her head, drawing out the words with false empathy. He winced as they plowed through his ears and into his brain like a needle. He needed to distract himself again. He could barely handle this drunk, he KNEW he couldn't handle it sober. He turned and glanced around for the nearest forgotten mug, finding one a few seats over, sitting conveniently next to a second.

The liquid burned down the back of his aching throat, tasteless on his cotton coated tongue. He dropped the mug to the table again, licking his lips and running his tongue over his gums as he reached for the second mug. The bile after taste clung to his breath, mixing with the sweetened mead, almost making him wretch for a third time. Instead he grimaced and swallowed deep, dropping the mug to belch behind his lips, expelling the sour air softly into his fist before shaking the feeling off. Another mug sat not too far away. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure she was still distracted, then dove after his prize.

It was Tuffnut's fault. If he hadn't been such an ass, HE wouldn't be here trying to drown himself. He wouldn't want to rip Astrid's hair out and choke her with it. Hiccup chugged the little over half a mug of mead he had discovered, a thin stream trickling from the corner of his mouth to drip onto the table carelessly. As soon as the thought crossed his mind the guilt washed down his throat, choking him into dropping the mug and bending over the table with a wide eyed sputter. He drug his sleeve across his mouth, glancing over at Astrid again, watching her giggle with the woman she was still speaking to.

Another woman had saddled up to his place in his absence, but he didn't feel much remorse for the lost spot. Another wave of guilt crashed over him and he turned back to the table, eying the contents of his new found mug before searching the rest of the area for more drink. Astrid seemed to have given up on him for the night and though he was sad for the loss of the distraction, he was all too happy to sit down at the table and continue working towards his goal of utter unconsciousness.


	13. Emptying Out

"Emptying Out"

The air wrapped cool arms around him as he stepped out into the quiet of the night, his steps faltering and pausing as his eyes strained to adjust to the dark. He lingered in the warm glow of the door, gaze roving down beaten dirt paths and over grassy hillsides. The entire village had congregated inside the main hall behind him, leaving the rest of the town ghostly empty and silent as it spread out over the mountain. He frowned, knowing that his quarry couldn't have gotten far, but wondering why he couldn't seem to place him at the moment.

The angry din of something crashing and collapsing to the ground beside him snapped his head towards the edge of the building. Peering through the darkness with squinted eyes he heard a groan, something stumbling amidst the mess it had just made. A silhouette danced into the moonlit line of his vision, then fell away again, stumbling back into the shadowed safety of the side of the hall. He smirked, dropping his hand to his side casually as he started through the grass, the leather and fur of his boots silencing his footsteps on the bending blades.

He paused once more, touching the corner to the building with light fingers as he leaned around it, waiting to catch the boy doing something he wasn't supposed to be. He wondered if the brunette was hiding from his girlfriend out here. Retching sounds made him frown though, sending him stepping all the way around the building and into the full beam of moonlight. Hiccup was doubled over the ground, gripping onto his stomach as it caved with the force of his heave. The acidic bile poured from the little boy's mouth in a steady stream, only pausing enough for him to wipe his mouth with the back of a trembling hand and let out a pained sob. Tuffnut's features softened, his fingers sliding from the side of the building to drop at his side again as he started towards the ill viking.

Hiccup sniffled, coughing loudly in vain effort to freeze the burn tearing up the back of his throat. He closed his eyes, dragging his hand over his mouth a second time with a muffled groan. He grimaced, falling onto his backside and dropping his head back again, open his mouth to let hitching pants escape it. He shouldn't of kept drinking. He should've listened to Astrid's advice. He should've tuned Tuffnut out another way. It wasn't fair to punish himself even more by making himself physically sick over the boy. His stomach wrenched, agony ripping across his features as his eyes shot wide, his intestines suddenly twisting into violent knots. "Fuck," He threw himself forward, dropping to lean heavily on his hands as he painted the grass with the last of what was in his stomach.

"Hiccup..." He gagged, nothing left in his bowels for him to empty out, but his stomach unrelenting in its torture. His body tremored before rocking forward, fingers digging into the soft grass and soil beneath. Drool pattered onto his hand and the ground, blood rushing in his ears as he shut his eyes against another dry heave. "Hiccup...?" He frowned, gasping for air when he finally got another break. Did someone call him? He lifted his head, slowly turning it to blink away tears and see if he had indeed been hearing things. Tuffnut was looking down at him with an empty face, standing only a pace or so away, the wind blowing strands of his shimmering hair across his broad chest. Sympathy shone in his slate colored eyes, the only emotion betrayed on the towering boy in any way.

Hiccup dropped his head again, groaning and shaking it slowly, ignoring the horrible dizziness the motion sent through him. He was hallucinating now. Stupid mead doing nothing but making his problems worse. He didn't know why anyone drank the stuff if it didn't do anything but make things even worse; he thought it was supposed to make everything better. He groaned again, lifting a hand in an attempt to wave the lithe viking off, almost falling onto his side as he did. "Ugh...I don't ne-need this shit right n-now..." He burped again, this time letting it resound through the air, moaning softly in the pain that followed it. "Just go away...Go back to whatever part of my mind you came fr-...Came fro-" He frowned, hiccuping twice before belching behind his lips again, his cheeks puffing with the sour air as he released it in a slow stream. He paused, waiting for the wave of sickness to pass, but yelped when it caught him full force in the stomach again, pitching him forward once more.

Tuffnut smirked despite himself, putting a hand on his hip as he watched the brunette dry heave some more. He really had no idea what was going on; he had no idea Tuffnut even existed. He closed the distance between them, squatting beside the boy and draping a hand over his knee. The smile wouldn't let go of the corner of his mouth, even as he listened to the boy retch and sob again. He reached out, pushing fingers through soft, mahogany colored tresses, tucking them behind the small round of the viking's ear. "It hurts...!" Hiccup whined, ripping fistfuls of grass up as he dug deeper and deeper into the earth with white knuckles.

Tuffnut nodded slowly, stroking through the boy's hair even farther, reaching over to smooth his hand out over the back of the boy's head. He slid it down, flattening his hand beneath the feathery hair and over the heat of the back of his neck, rubbing his fingers absently over the soft skin. "Yeah...but, it'll stop soon. Just hang in there." He murmured, watching the brunette shiver beneath his touch, listening to him groan through another broken sob. He smeared his sleeve over his mouth again, his hand failing to make it to the ground again before another spell snatched hold of him. "Why the hell did you do this to yourself, Hicca?" He furrowed his brow, sliding his hand down the back of the boy's woolen vest, rubbing big, lazy circles over it as he watched for an answer.

"B-because of you, asshole!" He spat the words, hiccuping only once before releasing a god awful noise and dropping so close to the grass his nose almost brushed it. He sobbed again, tears rolling down his pale cheeks in fat tracks, pooling beneath his chin and soaking his neck. "Y-you fuckin'...ugh...fuckin' abandoned m-me after all that...that SHIT!" He managed to get something up this time. A cry of pain followed the liquid lava he heaved, his throat feeling like it was set on fire. Now he pushed his forehead to the ground, not caring what his nose or face came into contact with when he did. The cool of the sweet grass was so beautiful against the sweat of his burning forehead he started to cry again.

"I just wanted you! I just wanted to BE with you!" He dropped onto his side, rolling onto his back as sucking in breaths of air, his arms flopping to either side of him on the ground. Tuffnut tilted his head, folding his arms over his knees as he watched the boy try to recuperate once again.

"How can you say that though? You were in love with Astrid until the other day. One mistake of a sexual encounter is going to change your mind about that?" He shrugged, watching an emerald eye flutter open and roll towards him. The moonlight cast a white glow over the boy, illuminating him gently. Tuffnut felt the urge to eat his own words. To stop arguing with it and let the boy think and do as he pleased; as long as he was allowed to drape himself over the brunette's form every night and make him scream.

"There's such a thing as true love, dunder head. People know it on sight." He grumbled this through a frown, rolling his eye before closing it again, looking as though this were the most obvious answer in the world. Tuffnut snorted softly, rolling his own eyes before looking away from the viking and taking to staring at the wood of the main hall.

"Uh-huh, and you found true love by being forced to suck my dick. Sounds like a fairy tale come true." His words were bitter, betraying his feelings as he shoved thoughts of molestation out of his mind. He glared at the wood panels of the building beside them, wishing he could set it and the world on fire at the moment. This time Hiccup lifted his head off the ground to glare at him with both eyes open.

"You ARE an asshole!" Tuffnut looked over in mild surprise, arching a brow as the boy gathered himself into leaning up on one arm. "It doesn't matter HOW you find true love, it just matters that you FIND it. It doesn't matter if I fell in love with you gathering shells on the beach as we walked together until the sun went down, or if I fell in love with you with my tongue wrapped around your dick. All that matters is that the feeling is there and it's eating me alive, and you don't seem to give a rat's ass!" He pointed at him with his free hand, swaying a little in effort to keep himself upright, then frowned and threw a hand towards the building. "All you seem to care about is playing around in there with every girl you can come into contact with and avoiding me like the fucking plague! I bet you're in there right now trying to figure out how you're going to get a girl to go home with you, not even THINKING about me lying out here in my own puke." With that he fell back into the grass, the earth sighing beneath him as he sniffled and swiped at his nose.

Tuffnut blinked, running his tongue over his teeth as he tilted his head in regard of the boy one more time. He never failed to surprise him; at least a life with him would always be interesting. He rose to his feet, walking over to stand next to the brunette one more time, letting a smirk tug at the corner of his mouth as the viking opened his eyes to look up at him in confusion. He extended a hand, shaking his head and sighing. "I think about you every second of every day, Hicca." The brunette reached up with a shaky hand, grasping his and allowing him to pull him to his feet unsteadily.

He swayed on his feet, blinking rapidly before closing his eyes and touching his head with a light wince. "I'll never drink again..." He groaned, releasing Tuffnut's hand and turning to step away from him. Instead he fell, only saved from smashing his face in the ground by the strong hand that wrapped around his aching stomach. "Shit...!" His stomach flipped again, somehow managing to find liquid for him to throw on the ground. Tuffnut's arm stayed wrapped around his waist, holding his backside hard against his hips as he kept him standing through the whole thing. He didn't seem phased by the sickness at all.

Hiccup's body relaxed in his hold, his head dropping back to roll on his chest with another tired groan, fresh tears making his cheeks glisten. Tuffnut strained to keep his lower half in control, closing his eyes and allowing a shudder to run throughout his entirety. He chewed his cheek, listening to the boy's soft pants of pain, interrupted only by sparse and quiet whimpers that begged relief. His hand was shaking again, his teeth grinding in his head as he continued to will his lower body to keep tame and calm, not wanting to scare the boy off; or, apparently, lead him on any more.

"I just thought...if you could walk away from me so easily...if you could forget me so easily..." Tuffnut opened his eyes, looking down at the brunette in his grasp, catching a breath of his scent as he rolled his head languidly across his chest again. "I thought I could do it too...you know? But, even in drowning myself to forget you..." He opened his eyes, the big, rich emerald hues arresting Tuffnut with so much sincerity and genuine feeling his knees almost buckled beneath the guilt. "I STILL feel your hands on me...Even conjure you up like this..." He smiled, despite the pain of his words. Tuffnut watched him silently for a long moment, reaching up with his free hand to brush fingers over his soaked forehead, wanting to push his hand through the feathery tresses above it one more time.

"Gods, there he is!" He fisted his hand at the sudden shrill voice shattering his moment. Hiccup frowned and lifted his head up, immediately scrunching his face in pain before covering it with his own hand.

"I'm gonna be sick..." Hiccup doubled over the thick of Tuffnut's arm again, groaning with a wide mouth already. Tuffnut glanced up at Astrid as she stormed over, scowling at the brunette, hands fisted at her sides. He could feel Hiccup's body quivering and jerking as it attempted to empty itself again, but heard the horrible sounds of dry heaves as its search turned up nothing. Astrid paused next to them, her glare turning up to Tuffnut, his eyes fixing on the steel blue of her own.

"How long have you been out here with him? Why didn't you come tell me what was going on?" She struck her hips with her fists, looking up at him with thinly pressed lips. He arched his brow, biting down on the inside of his cheek hard enough to spill blood onto his tongue. It took him a long, tense moment to respond to her in any manner of civility.

"I just stumbled upon him a few minuets ago. I couldn't exactly leave his side to go running for you." The words were slow and painful, his need to drive her face into a rock straining them even further. He could almost feel the warmth of her blood cooling on his hands as her face broke open like a pumpkin.

"Perfect. He's making an ass out of all of us and you sit out here with him and let him do it." She snatched for Hiccup, jerking at his sleeve as he rest over Tuffnut's arm, his chest rising and falling slowly through open mouth breaths. He grumbled, but stumbled into Astrid's grasp, Tuffnut reluctantly letting go for only the sake of saving the little boy more pain. The blonde slid a step back from the angrily muttering girl as she threw Hiccup's arm over her shoulder and forced him to stand. He needed more space between them, especially since they were alone out here.

"I'm taking him home. Go inside and tell his dad that I'll be back and will speak for him when dinner's done." She started off, Hiccup dragging his feet alongside her until she snapped him straight again, refusing to let him completely lean on her. Tuffnut's knuckles cracked as his fingers curled deeper into his fist, his body trembling only once as he watched them go.

He turned his head, forcing his eyes to remained trained on their backs until they disappeared up the road. He spat blood into the grass, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand as he started towards inside again, shaking his head bitterly. He strode past Hiccup's dad, failing to even make eye contact with him as he walked over to the giant kegs lined against the wall, snatching a mug up off a table as he went. It was better to keep his distance from Hiccup, better to keep as much space between them as possible. No matter what he said in his drunken stupor.


	14. The Breaking Straw

"The Breaking Straw"

_"Remember when we first met? And you told me this only gets harder...? Well, it did..."  
_

He hadn't slept again. It felt like the abyss of sleep had evaded him for years now. Not quite to the eternity marker, but vigorously making its way there; leaving him far behind in its wake. He groaned and scrubbed a hand down his face, his blade's tip scratching at the stones beneath it as it rest in his lose grasp. His muscles ached, his body cried out for the release and relaxation he had denied it for so long. Unwilling as that denial may be, that didn't make it go away, nor did it make it any easier for his body to understand.

"Your guard's down!" Ruffnut's war cry brought him back to present day, his head turning tiredly to see what she was babbling about now. Her hammer swung down on his head, sending him stumbling backwards with a grunt and string of oaths. He had managed to bring his shield up enough to protect himself from the brunt of the blow, but its surprising strength had caught him as she wanted, bruising his arm beneath the wood of his shield.

"Fuck, Ruff!" His grip suddenly tightened on his sword, hefting it off the ground and angling it back for a counter attack as his twin smirked at him.

"You weren't paying attention. You can't look away during battle, you know th-" A menacing grin of his own broke open the lower half of his face as he aimed to use her own tactic against her. She danced from his lunging blow, spinning on her heel, arcing her hammer in another swiveling swing. He barked as the blunt stone head grazed his back, leaving him another bruise to contend with tomorrow. He pivoted as well, bringing his sword down on her once again, this time nicking her battle hand.

Blood pattered to the ground in a fine stream, each twin huffing as they stared each other down, running pink tongues over smooth teeth and gums in mindless habits of frustration and challenge. "You wanna tell me what's going on with you lately, Tuff? Why you're not sleepin' or concentratin'?" Ruffnut cocked her head to the side, regarding him in much the same way he had looked at Hiccup the night before. He rolled his neck, listening to it crick and pop loudly before he finished the full 360 and fixed his eyes on her slate colored hues.

"Not when I could ram you through the gut instead." He gave another half cocked leer, turning his profile to her before suicide lunging, aiming his blade for her slender stomach. She smacked his blade to the ground with a mighty heft of her hammer, metal and stone sparking and crashing like thunder and lightening, his body almost pitching forward with the weight of her strike.

"I'll break your little toy and then break you if you don't fess up and tell me what the FUCK is wrong with you!" How many times had they had this conversation recently? How many times had she tried to corner him into confessing his sins to her? How many times would he have to beat her into the ground for her to understand she needed to let it go?

"Don't be stupid, Ruff. I don't want to have to make an example of you in front of everyone." He ripped his sword back into the safety of his personal space, flexing his grip on the leather bound handle and jerking his chin in the direction of the world outside their own. His twin straightened up, dragging her hammer to rest before her booted feet again, an open palm resting readily on the fist sized, unpolished gem at its handle's base. They had dug the thing up together one day as children and he had given it to her, telling her it would be of no use to him as a boy. She had given it to their father who had, in turn, given it back to her attached to the handle of her birthday present war hammer; he had died the next year.

Ruffnut glanced at the training arena they were hiding in the shadows of, vainly attempting to avoid the heat of the sun illuminating the open ring. The other kids danced and skittered about in their own sparring matches, testing the strength of each other before being forced to change partners. There was never enough training a young viking could do; or an old viking, for that matter. Viking's needed constant battle against a constant barrage of different foes. Vikings must be ready to face anything. They must return home victorious or die trying, never something in between. It sickened her to think of what it would be like to come home a defeated coward.

She looked back at her brother, studying the heavy shadows bagging beneath his usually bright and mischievous eyes. He had no head for anything these days, much less causing a little trouble with her like they use to. These days he was either constantly lost in a world of his own or tearing into her with a vengeance she had never known. She understood he was taking some strange, unseen rage out on her, but she didn't know what at. She didn't know who or what he was trying to protect, but she'd be damned if she didn't find out sooner or later.

"Do you want me to call them over? I wouldn't be making a spectacle that way. Just giving a show." She slid her hand down on the grip of her hammer's handle, fisting her thin fingers around it and heaving it onto her shoulder, stepping towards him with another tilted smirk. He eyed her for a moment, as though he couldn't tell if she were kidding or not, then lifted his sword, holding it straight and aiming its tip at her throat.

"You've gotten so annoying lately, Ruff. Why can't we just beat the tar out of each other again; without words?" She got cocky and stepped to the side of his blade, letting its tip grace the thin of her neck. He took advantage of her trust, drawing the sword back faster than she could register, sliding back a step for a better angle on his sudden swing at her head. She screeched, ducking in time for the cool of the blade to make the top of her scalp tingle. Her hammer swung for his ankles. He jumped, but she caught the side of one of his feet, sending him into the ground and his sword skittering from his grasp.

Ruffnut rose, huffing softly through her nose before stomping towards her prostrate twin. She stood over him, lifting a foot to crush his skull beneath-as he so deserved. Suddenly she was staring into the wide slate of his eyes, his hand wrapping around her fur covered ankle, twisting and jerking her onto her back with a surprised cry. Her head slammed into the stones, hammer snapping clumsily on the ground at her side. She scrambled to sit up, but his fist connected with her jaw, snapping her head to the side. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, making her cough and sputter as she continued to try and scramble back from his attacks.

He snatched at one of her braids, a growl rumbling from his chest as he ripped her forward. Her eyes opened, flaring in rage as she fell towards him, sinking her fist into his nose before he could do much more than let go and howl in pain. She rose on a knee, but doubled over when he pushed his fist into her stomach, still gripping his bleeding nose with his opposite hand. Blood and saliva dribbled onto the pavement by her foot, her fingers twitching as they sought the dagger tucked into her boot.

"Alright, alrigh', that's enough." Gobber hobbled into the center of the arena, lifting his hands into the air and looking between all of them. Tuffnut threw Ruffnut to her back again, wrapping his fingers around her throat with a sneer as she clawed at his own with both hands, hissing and spitting like a feral cat. Gobber fixed his gaze on them, shaking his head and muttering something as he started towards them. "Thorstons, I said that's enough." Everyone glanced over, Ruffnut's fists now striking aimlessly at Tuffnut's chest as he drove a knee into her own, his fingers tightening still. "Thorston! I said knock it off!" Gobber's hooked hand collided with Tuffnut's temple, knocking him onto his side, freeing Ruffnut to jerk to her feet and rub at her throat.

Gobber studied Tuffnut for a moment, watching him push himself up on a steady hand, shaking the stars from in front of his eyes and touching his bleeding temple with a light and hesitant hand. Nodding in satisfaction that the boy wasn't going to try and pick another fight he turned and started towards the center of the arena again, waving his hands at his sides once more. "Alrigh', now everyone pick another partner. Remember, challenge yerself. Try somethin' new, a style of combat yah never tried before." Everyone started to mutter and murmur as they looked around to see who they could snatch up. They all had their first picks, but when it came to the second round, none of them really knew who to go to or who to choose. This was always the awkward part of the evening.

"G-Gobber...My head is about to split open. I'm going home..." Tuffnut's head whipped up as he listened to the weak voice mutter the words. His hand stopped its senseless brushing at his tunic, stormy hues flecking with gold as they landed on the slumping brunette. Hiccup had been hovering in the shadows of the arena too, though on the opposite side from the Thorstons. He had rings under his eyes to match Tuffnut's own but, the blonde knew they were only temporary, easy to fix with a needed day of rest. They were only after-mead rings anyways.

"Yah sure, Hiccup? Yer dad won't be too happy 'bout tha'..." Gobber rubbed at the back of his balding head with his hook, turning its point towards his scalp to scritch at it thoughtlessly. Astrid stepped up to his side, her axe lazing on her shoulder as she cocked a hip and tilted her head in obvious disdain towards her boyfriend.

"Hiccup, you can't leave. I've told you, it's your fault you're like that, so you should take the punishment for it. Maybe you won't do it again." Tuffnut ground his teeth again, attempting to drown out the sound of the girl's voice, attempting to drown out her screams as he sunk her own axe into her spine and twisted. Hiccup drooped even farther, a silent, begging whimper shuddering his form before he covered his eyes with a tired hand.

"Astrid, I know it's my fault and I'm sorry you had to take care of everything the other night, but I can't stay out here like this. I'm going to collapse, I'm not going to be of any use to anyone like this." Tuffnut shifted the leather bands on his shield, his fingers curling and uncurling over the handling grip as he took to chewing at his cheek. He was aware of Ruffnut's bitterly studious eyes attempting to probe into his mind, but ignored them in favor of boring holes into the back of Astrid's wide head.

"Maybe he's right, Astrid. Le' the boy go home, I'll talk to his dah." Gobber shook his head even as he patted the girl's back and grumbled the words, turning to abandon the little disagreement in favor of teaching his class. Astrid sucked her teeth in disappointment, Hiccup's eyes averting in shame and dismay at what he knew she thought was weakness. As if reading and speaking his thoughts for him, she shook her head and pointed her axe's blade towards him.

"If you walk out of here, Hiccup, and don't withstand a little bit of a hangover then you're no viking, you're a pussy." Snotlout sniggered in the background, covering his mouth with his hand and almost choking. Hiccup's cheeks flamed, his eyes latching onto his boots as his fingers slowly tightened up on his sword again. A small, slow smile lifted the corners of Astrid's thin lips, something glimmering in her eyes as she watched the brunette pick the sword up with an aching arm. Tuffnut's vision winked red.


	15. Beserker

_~~**~~I'm actually kind of sad at this piece...I've waited for this whole story to give Tuffnut his moment to absolutely beat Astrid's face into the ground and now that I've written this I feel like I've let the poor twin down. I don't really like this piece, even less than I like the last piece, so it may be subject to change if I can come up with something better...but, for now, at least Astrid got the shit beat out of her like she deserved. And, it was kind of nice to give Tuffnut his moment in the blood soaked sun lol~~**~~_

"Bezerker"

_"Take my hand, for I've lost where I've begun..."_

"ENOUGH!" Astrid spun, eyes widening as she let out a screech of surprise, her axe managing to swing up in time to block her face from being split open by Tuffnut's blade. He growled, forcing his weight against her weapon, sinking his steel into the wood of her axe even farther, determined to break through it.

"Tuffnut, what are you doing?" Ruffnut started for them, abandoning her hammer in effort to stop the one-sided match faster.

"Stay out of this!" He ripped his blade back, splintering Astrid's handle and sending her staggering back a few steps with the sudden release of pressure. He spun on his heel, swinging smoothly with the motion, Ruffnut managing to duck in time. She jerked forwards, reaching to tackle him in the stomach and onto his back, moving beneath the level of his weapon. He threw his sword to his free hand, connecting his free fist with her jaw for a second time that day. "I said back off!" He watched her hand lift to touch at her swelling lip, turning before his care for her took his new found bloodlust away.

His gaze locked on the confused, and slightly frightened, Astrid. Half a grin jerked the corner of his mouth into a malicious smirk, a red haze slowly winking through his sight as it descended over his vision. He lunged again, bringing his sword up in a high arc as he lept into the air this time, swinging down at a diagonal; this time slicing for her throat. She dropped to a single knee, reinforcing her axe's handle with her free hand this time, blocking his blow once again. "What's WRONG with you?" She cried out, her body jerking with the weight of his strength as he ripped his sword free and jabbed for her exposed stomach.

She tucked and rolled, rolling backwards before righting herself and scrambling to her feet. Tuffnut sucked in frozen breaths of air through his teeth, his lungs and throat searing with the fire of his rage. He could barely hear her over her screams, barely make out her words through the sounds of her bones shattering in his grasp. He swung for her hand, meaning to take it and her weapon off. She finally countered with a swing of her own, deflecting his blade before swinging hers in a sudden back hand, slicing for his knees.

He slid back a step, barely missing the blow, his grin full blown as he watched her rise to her feet and take fighting stance. "What the HELL has gotten knocked loose in there, Tuffnut? What the FUCK is your problem?" He tossed hair out of his eyes, able to feel strands matting in the blood on his temple and across his forehead. His feet shifted anxiously, fingers flexing on his sword before he jerked to her side. She brought her axe down on him in a preemptive strike, he caught it with his shield, the blade snapping the wood in half and slicing into the arm beneath. He roared in pain, spinning and ripping the edge of his blade across her back, sending her shrieking into the ground beneath her.

Tuffnut shook off the remains of his shield, snarling and dropping his sword as well. Astrid whimpered, pushing herself to her knees with a loud sniffle, her body tremoring in pain before she pitched forward again. "Astrid!" Hiccup cried out, running over with an outstretched hand and face full of concern. He froze when Tuffnut twisted a fist into Astrid's hair, ripping her onto her knees again, smirking as she cried out in pain.

"Hiccup you little fuck! HELP ME!" She screamed, clawing blindly at Tuffnut's thick hand behind her head. Hiccup covered his mouth in wide eyed surprise, Ruffnut's own hand following suit, though she seemed the only one who wasn't too surprised by her brother's sudden bloodlust. Tuffnut snapped Astrid's face to his own, forcing her head back so her eyes could meet his own.

"Stop talking to Hicca that way." The words were barely distinguishable, more primal grunts and growls than anything. She sobbed, shaking her head in his grasp before attempting to tear at his hand again. For a moment he lost himself to the thought of ripping her spine out with his bare hands, maybe wrapping it around her throat for good measure. He blinked, realizing she was babbling something.

"Hi-hiccup..." She sobbed, but he shook his head, baring teeth at her as his lip drew back in a snarl.

"Hicca. MY Hicca." She shook her head again, screaming when he smashed her temple against the stones she knelt on. Her body bowed and bent to his force, moving in anyway he commanded, straightening when he tore at her scalp again.

"What are you DOING?" She choked out, sputtering on her own spit and tears as a thin stream of blood trickled down the side of her face, matching them for a moment.

"Putting you in your fucking place," He slammed her forehead into the ground this time, releasing her hair with a tearing rip, gossamer strands following his fingers as he swept to his feet. "Beneath the soul of my boot." He pressed his boot into the side of her face, closing his eyes as he reveled in the beautiful feel of the vibrations her writhing body sent along the length of his own. Her screams and squeals finally matched the pitch and desperation of the ones that had been filling his ears for so long, the pressure of his grind into her skull only serving to take them to a level he had never imagined.

Something struck him broad across the side of his face, knocking him away from his prey and sending him rolling across the pavement. His body stilled, face upturned to the azure colored heavens, breath stilling in his lungs for seconds. His head throbbed long enough for him to register the driving pain, his eyes fluttering against the sun as he felt his body tiredly drop even further against the ground, his fingers twitching in an anxious effort to continue their wanted killing spree. And then, darkness. Silent, blissful, darkness.

Gobber shook his head as he helped Astrid to her feet, checking over his meaty shoulder every now and then to make sure the boy Thorston stayed unconscious and on the ground. Ruffnut had come over and was gathering her twin up, hefting an arm over her shoulders before starting to drag him off, pausing only to kneel and collect his sword.

Hiccup watched Gobber check over Astrid, telling her she would be fine after she got the cut on her back stitched up, that it wouldn't interfere with her training or any battles to come. He watched Ruffnut drag Tuffnut's limp body away, still able to see the tension relentlessly clinging to the boy's muscles, even in unconsciousness. Guiltily he turned his gaze back to Astrid, watching Snotlout take her from Gobber and slowly walk her out of the arena. He looked to the stones beneath his feet and the sword loosely held in his own grasp.

There had been a sick sound when Gobber's hook had once again collided with Tuffnut's head, this time not only striking his unmarred temple, but also his ear and cheekbone. He had made sure the entire hook had basically connected with the boy. Hiccup closed his eyes, dropping the sword with a deafening clatter and covering his eyes with his hands, trying to hide his tears in a habitual way. He didn't realize he was tearing Tuffnut from the inside out like that. He didn't realize the blonde was driving himself mad for him like that. It was all his fault.

There wasn't much of last night that he could remember. He remembered Tuffnut showing up with Ruffnut and avoiding him like it was his job. He remembered being determined to drink himself into oblivion and achieving it. He remembered throwing up to the point he thought he would die. And he remembered conjuring up an imaginary Tuffnut. But, though he was sure he had an outloud conversation with the phantom, he hadn't been able to remember what it was about. He had been trying all morning, battling through the splitting headache he had become owner of in effort to recall the words he was positive the twin had spoken to him.

Now, he wondered if it had been a conjuring at all. Now he wondered what else he was to blame for. Now he wondered what repercussions the twin would face from the village, for attacking Astrid like that. He wondered why the blonde had lashed out in effort to protect him, why he had put himself in so much danger of being banned from the village, for something so small and insignificant as a little name calling. His stomach churned as he paraded these thoughts through his head. One stood apart from the rest like a neon sign, making it too hard to ignore, though he did his best. Eventually though, it screamed at him to the point he wanted to cover his ears.

What would HE do in return for the sacrifice Tuffnut had just made for him? Where would things go from here? Where SHOULD things go from here?


	16. One More Time

_~~**~~Hey everyone! I'm sorry it took so long for me to come up with some new material for this story! I just sort've lost inspiration, we all know how THAT goes^^; But, though sloppy, I've come back with a few more pieces to get the story going again! It's taking me a few chapters to get my groove back and learn the feel for the characters again, bare with me, but I'm slowly figuring it out and it's WONDERFUL to have the boys back^^ lol Anywho! Nothing but a little catching up to do in the next few pieces, nothing but a little language as well (I'll ker-PORN! next time I post stuff, promise ;3) Everyone please enjoy, and forgive me again! Enjoy!~~**~~_

-"All aboard, hit the road, all the bullshit, can't be ignored..."-

His body was numb again. The vague feeling of animal skins and furs brushing against his form, an idea of a suffocating warmth encasing him, and the disgusting scent of medicinal salves closing off his throat. His throat...it burned and itched...Tuffnut choked on a cough, wheezing and sputtering as he attempted to suck in air.

"Oh stop whining, you're fine. Again." Something struck his chest with a loud thump and he groaned, rolling his head from side to side as the clouds of unconsciousness ebbed away into the bright fire light of his home. A heavy presence sitting on the edge of his mattress helped him to identify the voice, his mind still a little foggy on what was going on. He groaned a second time, dropping a lead weight hand over his brow, shielding his eyes from her and the too bright light.

"Gods, I hate waking up to you." He grumbled the words, his voice scratchy and itchy against his throat. He coughed, trying to get the feeling to go away, trying to swallow but finding only cotton and thick air wrapped around his tongue.

"Feh, and I hate cleaning up after you. Of course, I didn't do much but take care of your sorry ass THIS TIME. Hiccup did most of everything THIS TIME." He blinked behind his hand, that was right. He had helped Hiccup out. Actually he didn't remember much of the helping out part...all he remembered was getting fed up with watching Astrid emasculate Hiccup in front of the gods and everyone.

"How far did I go?" His sickness, he had to contain his sickness. He pushed up on his arms, spots dancing before his eyes as his heart suddenly took to slamming against his ribcage. What had he done to Hiccup? What had his sickness done to Hiccup? Panic overtook him, his injured body and addled mind working him into a frenzy out of normal for him.

Ruffnut just shook her head, flattening her hand against his chest and lightly pushing at him, attempting to drop him back to the pillow. "You just gave Astrid a good knock on her head. And you almost took out her kidney, but no worries, she's fine and about ready to get back into the ring." She furrowed her brow and glanced over her shoulder at him, listening to him huff and puff through gritted teeth and lidded eyes as he continued to try and push himself off the side of the bed and around her. "Lay down, dunderhead, I said everything's fine." This time she twisted her body towards him, forcing him back into the pillows with both her hands.

He snarled but she slammed a fur down on top of him, trapping him beneath it and baring her teeth in a grin. "You're too weak to fight me off at the moment, Tuff, so you can sit still and listen to what I have to tell you or I'll strap you in." He took a breath, unsteady and shaking, his heart too tired to keep up the fight. Tuffnut blinked up at her, taking in another breath through clinched teeth, wishing with all his might that he could bitch slap that teeth baring grin she was giving him right off her face.

"Hiccup...tell me about Hiccup..." Was that a whimper in his voice, or a snarl? She canted her head to the side, smirking before sitting back up again, tossing a braid over her shoulder with a soft thump. She gave a small shrug, continuing to look like the cat who got the cream.

"Your little Hicca?" Without warning he swung at her, striking her in the ear so hard she fell off the side of the bead with a surprised yelp. He dropped his fist back to the mattress, huffing air through flaring nostrils, vision winking with red as he attempted to blink it away. No one said that name, no one. Ruffnut slowly pulled herself back up on the bed, eyes wide as she stared at him in stunned upset, one hand lightly covering her now bleeding ear.

"HiccUP. Tell me about HiccUP." He snarled the pronunciation he wanted her to use, narrowing his eyes at her as he fisted his hand amidst the folds of the furs, threatening and reminding her that he wasn't as weak as she seemed to think he was. She slumped onto the side of the bed again, taking in slow breaths of air and trying to blink away what he was sure was a sharp pain and harsh ringing. They had both been boxed in the ears so many times growing up it was a wonder one of them wasn't deaf, leat alone both of them.

"You sorry sonva'bitch...why the hell should I tell you after a stunt like that? I was trying to help you! AGAIN, dammit!" She slammed a fist down on the mattress, sending a bouncing vibration beneath him, failing to make him blink.

"Because I SAID to." He bore his teeth at her, snarling in rage as he mentally debated on whether or not she needed to be struck another time for good measure. She snarled back, whipping her head away from him and folding her arms over her chest, wincing only once at the shot of pain her ear sent down her side. He decided to give her a moment, gripping at the furs in attempt to keep himself from raising his hand against his only caretaker and informant.

She heaved a put-upon sigh, dropping her arms to her lap and cupping her fingers over her wounded ear, wiping at the blood trickling down the side of her face. "Hiccup's fine...he's been here everyday...AGAIN. He's worried about you and probably would be right here on your ass if I had let him linger for dinner, but I was sick of taking care of his skittish little ass." She waved him off lightly with her free hand, refusing to look at him now.

He took a breath as well, closing his eyes as he tried to recall the sum of the past few days. Without even realizing it he had infected the boy. No matter how hard he had tried to avoid it, he had infected his favorite little viking. A tremor rocked his form, pain welling in his chest to the point of making him wonder if it would burst. Ruffnut glanced over her shoulder at him again, reaching out to place a hand on top of his own, surprising him into flinching and opening his eyes. Immediately he took in the concern spread over her features and that pain welled into a softness he didn't realize he possessed.

"Astrid wanted to kick you out of the village...She said you weren't stable and were a threat to us all in the way you were to her..." He looked from her, focusing on a small hole in the planks of the flooring. She rubbed at his hand, her thumb brushing over a whelped scar he had owned since his early childhood. The motion made him realize his sister was becoming more the feminine viking she was supposed to be, though still a hellion in battle, she was starting to gain the aspects of a woman in need of a husband.

"She tried to get Hiccup on her bandwagon, most of the village was on the fence about it...but, Snotlout joined in the fray where Hiccup wouldn't." He felt the weight of his brow as it furrowed in anger at her words. Betrayed by a man he once thought a friend. Granted, not a best friend, but someone he had been willing to go into battle with. "Tuffnut, it was horrible...they were out for your blood." He couldn't remember the last time her voice had been this soft. No, he could. When their father died. She had fallen asleep in his arms that night, whimpering for him not to tell anyone that she had cried. He completely understood.

He rolled his gaze to face her again. She almost looked like she was about to cry again, her cheeks splotched with red, eyes rimmed in shadows, thin lips swollen with worry. "Thought you said things were okay..." He gave her what he hoped was a slightly comforting smile. She laughed softly, nodding her head and rubbing a finger beneath her nose and patting his hand. This time he squeezed back.

"Th-they are...Hiccup talked his dad out of doing anything drastic. They're talking over your punishment now, but they already sent Hiccup to tell me that you weren't going to be sent out. That makes everything okay in my book." He sighed and shook his head, lifting himself up off the bed and pushing into sitting position with a grimace. Gods his head was throbbing. He reached up to touch his temple, finding that half of his head wrapped up in bandages. He frowned at her, but she only shrugged.

"Gobber had to get you off Astrid...so he struck you upside the head...twice." Tuffnut nodded slowly, rubbing at his ear and temple with a flat palm and hefting a sigh.

"Ruff, listen, I don't know-" Something struck the door hard, sending her whipping her head around to face it with calculating eyes. He narrowly avoided her braids, leaning back with surprised eyes before looking to the door as well. The knock came again, the iron latch lifting before the sound even died out. Ruffnut's entire body tensed, her grip on his hand tightening as though it were holding her war hammer instead. Tuffnut watched her nostrils flare and eyes narrow even farther, he supposed she was still waiting on someone to come take him away.


	17. Shooting the Messenger

-"Things are shaping up to be pretty odd..."-

"Ruffnut? Ruffnut, listen, I've got word from dad." At the sound of Hiccup's voice she relaxed and he tensed. He had ruined the little viking's life and would ruin it farther if he got any closer. He had to contain his sickness. Had to keep it from spreading like the disease it was. Had to keep from infecting the boy's innocence any farther.

"In here, Hiccup! Your stupid hero's up and cursing the bane of his existence again already." Ruffnut laughed, releasing his hand to stand and go to the door, offering Hiccup a slightly forced smile when he came in with a nervous one of his own. Quickly the freckled little brunette looked between the two of them, as if unsure of who to speak first, unsure of how to divide his attention between them. But, when he did a double take on Tuffnut's glowering form, he latched his emerald hues with his own slate gray, looking like he had found the lifeboat in a storm.

"T-Tuff...I-I talked to Dad...he...he..." Hiccup shook his head, blinking back glistening tears before pushing away from Ruffnut and rushing over to the bedside, hurling himself on it. The little viking threw himself at him, wrapping tight arms around his neck and pulling him closer, burying his face in his shoulder and smearing his skin with warm tears. "I'm sorry! Tuffnut, I'm sorry! You weren't su-supposed to do something like that! You weren't supposed to get in trouble like that! Gods, I'm sorry!" He sobbed loudly, Tuffnut taking in a measured breath before gently pushing the boy away.

He glanced off to the side, silently threatening Ruffnut as she smirked and leaned against the doorway with arms folded across her small chest. "Tuff...Y-you shouldn't of-" He put a hand against his forehead, making the brunette blink in confusion before he pulled his hand away and let it fall to their laps, his free hand wrapped around one of Hiccup's slender little arms.

"She was making you look like a fool in front of us all, Hicca. You were the little bitch. Someone had to do something." He grumbled, but the brunette smiled, watery emerald eyes glimmering with love and adoration.

"Y-yeah, but she-" He put his hand to his forehead again, flattening his palm over the warm skin, threading his fingers through his mahogany bangs with a sigh. He looked like he was checking the boy for a fever. "Why do you keep doing that?" He sniffled, swiping his wrist beneath his nose when Tuffnut pulled his hand away for a second time.

"It shuts you up for a minuet is why." Grim as his face was there was a smirking glint in the steel of his eyes that Hiccup recognized very well. It was one of the things that made Tuffnut himself.

"Hiccup, what's the news from your dad?" Hiccup whipped towards Ruffnut, fear tensing him for a second before he remembered the girl had been there the whole time. She knew most of everything now, and from the looks of her ear had let her twin know in no uncertain terms that she did, but Hiccup had failed to tell her a few details; what he hadn't he knew she had pieced together herself.

"He and Gobber decided to punish Tuffnut by keeping him in the house." He glanced between the twins, watching them frown in unison and glance at each other around him. Ruffnut slowly advanced on him, looking as though she'd pull a dagger to his throat at any second.

"What do you mean, "keeping him in the house"?" She snarled, Hiccup leaning back from her nervously with a small shake of his head. Tuffnut snatched at his arm instead, almost pulling him into his covered lap. Hiccup whipped to face him, heart stopping as the boy Thorston glowered at him for a second time.

"Yeah, Hiccup, what do you mean?" Hiccup held up his hands in surrender, once more looking between the two of them at a mile a minuet, Ruffnut now looming over the side of the bed with each hand fisted at her side.

"I-I mean Tuff has to stay in the house for two weeks. H-he can only leave to go to the stables, but he can't leave the property...and he can't have contact with any of us. I'm only allowed up here to bring the message." Ruffnut let out a screech, throwing her hands into the air and rolling her eyes towards the heavens as she stormed back towards the door.

"FUCK! I have to watch your ass for TWO WEEKS!" She spun on her heel, jamming a finger at Tuffnut, eyes narrowed in a death glare. "You'll be lucky if I don't skin you alive! You sorry asshole! You just HAD to "put Astrid in her place" meh, meh, meh!" She stomped a foot, mocking her twin with exaggerated facial expressions and nerve grating noises. "DAMMIT!" She swung a punch, Hiccup flinching as he watched it connect with the wall, something cracking in the pregnant silence of the room.

She pulled her fist away huffing, sucking in breaths of air as blood pattered to the floor from her knuckles in a thin line. She turned her glare back on the seemingly dazed Tuffnut, baring her teeth with a hiss of air, "YOU..." Her thin little form trembled for a moment, eyes closing and head canting as she ground her teeth behind her lips, injured fist quivering in the air before her. Without another word she stormed from the room, slamming the door shut hard enough to rattle Hiccup on the bed across from it.

For a second there was no sound other than their breath. Tuffnut's hand fell away from his arm, his body slumping beneath the weight of the punishment laid upon it. Hiccup dropped his head, staring hard at his lap and the fingers he was fiddling with in it. He bit his lip, wondering what to say to the boy he had just condemned to a fate he thought was worse than death. He himself couldn't stand to be in the house for longer than an hour or so, he couldn't imagine what a warrior like Tuffnut was going to do.

He slowly turned to face the boy Thorston, watching him fall back against the pillowed headboard with empty eyes and a slack form. "Tuff...listen, I'm sor-" Without looking at him the blonde reached up and pressed his hand to his forehead again, making Hiccup sigh tiredly at the motion. He sat patiently, toying with a pick in his breeches as he studied the boy's narrow face, watching the heavy features seem to gain weight right before his eyes. Eventually he couldn't wait. He didn't have much time. "Tuff..."

The hand slid from his forehead, dropping to wrap around the crook of his arm and slowly pull him closer. He blinked in surprise, allowing himself to be pulled into the warm, solid form of the blonde. Slowly Tuffnut managed a blink and rolled his eyes back towards him, blinking once more to bring him into focus. He dropped his hand to the mattress on one side of him, now straddling his torso with his arms. Tuffnut failed to release him, rather gave him a gentle squeeze, like he was trying to reassure him of something.


	18. Scheming Acceptance

-"Hope, dangles on a string...like slow spinning redemption...spinning in and spinning out..."-

"Two weeks, huh?" He mumbled the words, voice coming out almost like an angry croak. Hiccup dropped his eyes, letting them run over the landscape of the viking's muscled chest and all the twisted scars marring it. It was like a sick testament to what the Thorston had been through in his life, a strange piece of art that only continued to grow with time, only continued to have more added to its wreck of a story. He put his weight on one hand, reaching out with the one Tuffnut still lightly had hold of. His fingers hesitated for a second, poised in the air above his exposed flesh before he finally licked his lips and dropped his hand to ghost fingertips along one of the thicker, jagged scars spanning the bredth of the blonde's chest. Tuffnut surpressed a shudder, but Hiccup felt it enough to smile.

"I'm going to come see you anyways." He lifted his eyes as he spoke, Tuffnut locking onto them with a patronizing frown.

"You're not going to keep doing stupid things, Hiccup. I told you already everything that happened between us was a mistake. You should be running from me at top speed, not running into me like a dunderhead." Tuffnut shifted, pulling himself up a bit on the pillows so that he could hold his head higher than Hiccup's own. Hiccup just kept smiling and teasing his fingers over the scars he was beginning to think of running his tongue over.

"You can't MAKE me do anything, Tuff. You wanted me to stop being a little bitch in front of everyone, right? Well, fine. I'll do what -I- want for a change. I'm coming to see you." He sat up and smirked, satisfied there was nothing the blonde could do to talk him out of it. And for a moment, Tuffnut simply sat and growled at him.

"Hiccup, I've already told you there is nothing here between us. What part of MISTAKE do you not understand?" He bent his head, looming close enough to almost press his forehead against Hiccup's own. The brunette actually had the nerve to continue smiling at him, though he did see what he thought was a beginning glimmer of doubt in those gem cut eyes of his.

"I think about you every second of everyday, Hicca..." Tuffnut blinked as the little viking used his own words against him. Surprise caught him by the hair and wrenched as hard as it could, taking the air from his lungs. Hiccup seemed to notice the change. "You thought I wasn't listening? I heard everything you said, I just took it as a figment of my imagination till I sat down and pieced it together the other day." He shrugged and sat back, pulling away from the shadow of Tuffnut's suddenly confused stare. Suddenly he was at a loss for words.

"I don't know why you seem to want to keep yourself away from me, Tuff. I don't know what I did to you that was so wrong." He hunched over again, leaning over the side of the bed and looking into his hands with a suddenly forlorn expression. "I just know that I'm not going to quit doing "stupid things". I can't help it." He turned to face him again, giving one of those lightly awkward smiles that sunk parentheses of dimples into his freckled cheeks. "I lo-"

Tuffnut lept forward, tackling him to his back on the bed and slamming his arm across his chest, pinning the gasping little brunette beneath his sudden weight. "Don't say it, Hicca." The boy stilled when the name registered, blinking into Tuffnut's suddenly grinning eyes, letting a slow and unsure smile hopefully begin to bleed into his own. Tuffnut dropped his head, pushing Hiccup's chin back before closing his teeth over the curve of his throat and shoulder, nipping softly. Hiccup let out a quiet breath, allowing Tuffnut to close his eyes with a smile before repeating the motion.

"You can't decide that you love me with everything that's happened between us. I won't let you." He lifted his head, peering down at the protests already bubbling up behind Hiccup's lips. He bent forward, pressing there foreheads together, his hair falling to either side of them, shielding their faces. "But, IF you decide to sneak up here in the next two weeks..." He paused for effect, grinning when the boy started to squirm beneath him. "You can decide if you love me or not then." He waited only long enough for Hiccup to open his mouth, waited only long enough for him to take in a breath to respond, before he locked their mouths together.

His tongue swept past the barrier of his teeth, pushing against his own as he attempted to invade every inch of heat the boy was willing to give him. Hiccup moaned, legs shifting anxiously against the side of the mattress, one hand managing to break free of his pin long enough to wrap around his back and fist in his hair, jerking him even closer. Tuffnut grinned, unable to stop himself from letting the boy take control, unable to stop himself from letting him steal every breath he had to offer.

"Hiccup! Your daddy sent Astrid after you!" Ruffnut's call snapped his eyes open, sending his a tremor of fear down his spine before he went rigid beneath Tuffnut's warmth. For a second there was nothing else, for a second he wondered if he had imagined it. "Hiccup!" Ruffnut didn't sound happy, nor did she sound imaginary.


	19. Regaining Myself

-"And there's a knock on my door but I'm not gonna answer it..."-

Tuffnut groaned, pulling away from his throat long enough to lift himself onto his arms like a lazy dragon stretching from a nap. He frowned over his shoulder at the door, letting out a breath before tossing hair out of his eyes. "He'll be down in a fuckin' minuet! Tell the bitch to fuckin' wait!" With that he calmly slid off of Hiccup, managing to keep on his feet with only a single hand on the mattress for support.

"Don't fucking snap at me!" He whipped his attention to the door again, looking like Ruffnut had slapped him through it.

"Dammit, Ruff, give 'em a minuet!" He turned back to him, watching him slide off the edge of the bed as well, combing fingers through his hair anxiously before glancing over at him as well. "I'll walk you down so the bitch queen doesn't eat your soul on the way out." He pushed off the bed, standing straight for a second before swaying and catching himself on the nightstand. Hiccup laughed quietly, wrapping a hand around his arm and helping him up, draping his arm over his shoulder as Tuffnut grumbled something incoherent beneath his breath.

"It'll go away soon. But, I don't think you should take me to the door, if you push yourself it's not going to go away." Tuffnut shook his head though, pointing to the door grimly before starting towards it, not giving Hiccup much of a choice but to follow after him.

"What the hell else am I going to do for two weeks? Least if I'm still sick I can sleep the time away." He muttered as he opened the door for them, holding it while Hiccup walked them through the opening.

"Yeah, I'm still sorry about that, Tuff. You really didn't have to do that, you could've just told her off or something." He laughed, but Tuffnut apparently failed to find the humor in his words. Instead he mumbled something beneath his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "No one hurts my Hicca." But, he brushed it off as wishful thinking and continued down the hall.

They came into the front room to find Ruffnut leaning against the table awkwardly, her arms folded over her chest again and a scowl plastered across her face. Her war hammer was leaning against the table next to her and she had one leg folded over the other at the knee, letting Tuffnut know she was ready to reach for the dagger in her boot. Astrid stood in the open doorway, looking every bit as awkward and every bit as upset, her own arms folded across her flat chest and her eyes latched onto a particularly interesting piece of wood beneath Ruffnut's boot, apparently.

Tuffnut felt his face morph to match his twin's, functioning more on instinct than thought. Astrid looked up at them, Ruffnut rolling an eye over her shoulder at them before locking it onto Astrid again. Apparently his twin had yet to forgive the girl for trying to get him kicked out of the village; he'd have to thank her when she was closer to being ready to accept something like that. "Hiccup, your father told you to come up here and deliver the news to Ruffnut, not stay and talk with HIM." Astrid's icy hues locked onto Tuffnut's narrowed steels, her final word dripping with venom.

Hiccup glanced up at him with some worry before looking back at Ruffnut, leading him towards his sister and easing from beneath his arm when they both could make sure he could lean against the table well enough. "I-I was just," Hiccup blinked and caught himself, biting his lip before locking his hands together behind his back, attempting to stop from fiddling with his fingers and squaring his shoulders back all at the same time. "I was just explaining to Tuffnut what was going to be happening for the next two weeks. I knew how long I had to stay, Astrid, you didn't have to come after me." Tuffnut felt a slow smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. If anything he hoped his sickness helped the little viking to grow back what balls Astrid had cut off, maybe even grow bigger ones and take her down the few pegs he couldn't.

"Doesn't matter, just hurry up and come on. His punishment starts now." She turned towars the door, looking over her shoulder to make sure Hiccup followed. "Lenient as it may be, it'll be nice not having his stupidity around for two weeks." She leered with grim satisfaction in his general direction, Hiccup wincing visibly.

"Get out of my house, you stupid bitch. I'll finish what my brother started if you're not down that hill in four. Fucking. Seconds." Ruffnut flinched forward, snarling the words like a rabid dog, her hand flying to the handle of her war hammer before Astrid had time to blink her words into recognition. She spun on her heel, facing the new threat with her own teeth bared in a twisted sneer, jamming a finger at Ruffnut.

"YOU were supposed to have more sense than that IDIOT of a twin of yours, but I see the apple apparently doesn't fall far from the rotted tree. You BOTH are menaces to this village!" Hiccup squeezed Tuffnut's arm, but he pushed from the table, staggering forward enough to only have to reach back for his twin for balance. Astrid backed up a step when she saw him coming, fear blinking over her countanence before she masked it over with a poor excuse for the anger she was spitting before.

"I've been counting, Astrid. You have three more seconds before my twin and I show you how truly menacing we can be." Only glancing at Hiccup once more and without a single word in response, Astrid turned tail and tried to strut down the hill with as much dignity as she could muster. Tuffnut grinned, feeling better than he had in weeks suddenly, moving to fall against the doorjamb and lean out of it with a smile. "Tell me, Astrid, is that limp from the butchering I gave you or the stick shoved up your ass?" He couldn't tell which made him feel better, Ruffnut's malicious cackle and Hiccup's stifled giggles behind him or the blush staining Astrid's face so red he could see it from where he was standing. Not to mention her jogging the rest of the way down.

He turned back to face his smirking twin and beaming brunette, continuing to smile himself. "And I'd say that was a good way to start off this forsaken punishment." Hiccup walked over and hugged him, standing on tip-toes to do so, nuzzling against his ear with a quiet breath of a laugh before pulling away and moving around him for the door. He turned back to smile at them, giving them a halfhearted wave as Tuffnut tiredly moved back to Ruffnut's side, slumping against the table next to her. "Ruff, I really am sorry you're stuck with this asshole for two weeks." He grinned as he spoke, making her laugh aloud before shaking her head and standing, starting to lift Tuffnut's arm over her shoulder and move him back to the bedroom.

"Nah, it's fine. I'll just kill him if it comes down to it. Nobody 'ill notice." Hiccup grinned, shaking his head before shutting the door behind himself and starting down the hill after Astrid. He was going to get an earful from both her and his dad when he got home, but at the moment, he couldn't honestly care. All that mattered was that Tuffnut was going to stay in the village. That he was going to stay within reaching distance of Hiccup. That he was going to stay around long enough for Hiccup to be happy. And, at the moment, that was all that mattered; HIS happiness, for once.


	20. What a Bitch

"What a Bitch"

"Oh yeah? Well, you look like a troll's ass!" Tuffnut barked over his shoulder angrily as he stormed into the barn, the handle of a swinging wooden bucket creaking in his knuckled grasp. There was a feminine cry of frustration and upset from behind him, but it fell on deaf and angry ears. Then a rock the size of his fist struck him up the backside of the head, faltering his step before he spun on his heel and snarled down the hill at his retreating twin. "Fucking bitch!" She flipped him off over her shoulder, casually strutting the rest of the way down the grassy knoll into the village, knowing there was nothing he could do to follow her. His free hand clenched and unclenched at his side, body quivering as he debated on whether or not he wanted to go after her or wait for her to get home.

Blinking away the red tint hazing his vision he spun back around and stormed the rest of the way into the barn, hurling the bucket onto the floor between the dragons' stalls. The worn wood snapped uselessly as it banged and clattered against the stone flooring and the ironwork of the stalls, eventually rolling to a stop in front of Scrye's uplifted head. "Dammit! That WHORE!" He stomped over to the broken bucket, snatching it up and quickly turning it in his hands, eying it with a bitterly arched brow. When he saw half the bottom had lost its bolts, rendering the bucket more useless than it was before in his mind, he turned and pitched it across the barn with another snarl. This time pieces of wood tumbled in splintered heaps to the floor as the iron skeleton, and whatever wood was left clinging to them, fell alongside.

He stood huffing and puffing, attempting to calm himself in, what was becoming, apparent vain. Quiet gurgles and clicking coos next to his ear started him into blinking and looking to the tip of a dragon's maw resting on his right shoulder. He sighed heavily, the slow and measured flare of a gashed nostril reminding him he was far from alone in his attempt at serenity. Reaching up he scratched the rubbery underscales of the dragon's jaw, turning to face it completely, feeling his shoulders slump of their own accord.

Scrye canted her oblong head at him, cracking open her jaw to release more of the contented gurgles as he scratched farther beneath her chin, finding some strange comfort in making the beast happy. He let out another sigh, Ruffnut's catcalls and grating voice slowly ebbing from his memory, leaving him to the sunny quiet of the barn; his recent sanctuary. Though, what he would give to get back into the training ring; what had once been his old sanctuary. "Well, girl, least we're safe in here...from HER." He mumbled the words, turning to cut a glare over his shoulder at the open barn door as he hissed the last word.

Scrye seemed to catch onto the anger, lifting her head from his caresses to look in the direction of the door as well, smoke escaping her lips as she let out a matching and lengthy hiss of her own. He turned back to face her, grinning from ear to ear now, standing on tip-toes to reach up and scratch near her eyes and ear, chuckling as she bent her head to receive his praise. "Yeah, that's right, she's a BITCH, isn't she?" The Nightmare chuckled alongside him, bobbing her head beneath his hand with the movement, the tip of her tail thumping softly on the hay behind her. "We'll show her when she gets home, won't we? We'll tear her a new fucking one, won't we?" He grinned again, happy to have someone to fuss at about his sister. Finally someone who understood what a pain in the ass she was.


	21. The Beginning of the End

_~~**~~Right, so the song quote down there? To start this piece off? I know this story has nothing to do with females, other than a few sibling tiffs for story fodder, but just pretend the "her"s and "she"s and "he"s and "his"s lol If you substitute those, which I couldn't do or it wouldn't be the song, I think it fits very well with this piece^^ That being said please Enjoy!~~**~~_

_-"I'm almost drowning in her sea...she's nearly, fallen on her knees..."-_

Tuffnut swung his sword through the air, bringing it down with a vicious swipe, grunting with the force of it when the metal sparked against pitted stone. Taking in a breath he snatched the blade up, spinning around to cut a half circle in the air behind him, quickly spinning to his left to jab into a haystack, stopping the blade when the hay scratched at his fist. He ripped the weapon from the hay bale, whipping around to drop a strike to the wood of his ZippleBack's stall. Instead the sword crashed to the floor with a loud and heavy snap, forcing him to drop it and wrench back in surprise.

He looked up with confused eyes, watching Scrye slowly turn her body back around, grinning and chuckling again as she sent her serpent-like neck twisting his way. Her spiked tail scraped across the hay covered floor, its tip tapping tauntingly at him as it slowly retreated behind her and back into her stall. She chuckled again, clicking softly in unison with Snuff and Snort, who were matching her laughter in quiet unison. He laughed himself, unable to stop himself as Scrye picked the blade up between her crooked teeth, offering it back to him with more quiet clicks.

"Stupid thing, I could'a killed you." He grinned, rubbing at the top of the Nightmare's head, listening to her chuckle again and watching her shake her head in an apparent answer. Snuff and Snort clucked together in agreement, drawing his eyes up to them as well. "Oh shut up! I'll take you all on! Come on, we'll go outside and settle this on the hillside right now!" He turned towards the barn door, striding towards it with a purpose as he waved them to follow him over his shoulder. He needed something like this anyways, just practicing by himself was starting to kill him. It was more boring than not practicing at all.

"Leaving so soon?" Tuffnut's step faltered before stopping all together, his brow furrowing as a figure stepped into the sunlight of the doorway and planted hands on its narrow hips. He knew the curve of those hips. He stood straight, shaking hair out of his eyes, attempting to blink the sun away from the boy's lean little form.

"Hiccup? Aren't you supposed to be down in the village?" He propped his sword's tip into a pit in the ground, allowing himself to lean on it with a mock shake of his head as he heard the little brunette laughing at him. He started into the barn, the sun slowly ebbing from his form as he moved closer, revealing more and more the details that made up his favorite little viking.

"I told you I was going to come visit you, Tuff. So don't pull this whole, "mightier than thou" shit, I'm here and there's nothing you can do about it." Hiccup tossed his hands in the air before coming to a stop in front of him, pointing a finger into his chest with a determined gaze locked onto his own. He only continued to give a smug smile that felt entirely comfortable on his face. The boy had come with a speech prepared, part of him loved that.

"Aren't you going to be missed?" He arched a brow, watching the boy's emerald eyes fall to scanning over his bare chest, his finger hesitating before curling in on itself and drawing back in to his chest, as though he had just realized Tuffnut was shirtless. He smirked, Hiccup blinking before looking back up to him, letting his eyes harden over with resolve once more.

"Toothless is covering for me. He's hiding out in the clearing, everyone thinks we're out running some routine fly routes." Tuffnut stood still for a moment, simply smirking down at the boy, letting the silence linger between them. Hiccup continued frowning up at him, continuing to dare him to disagree with his eyes. But, the longer he stood there staring, the more uncomfortable the little viking seemed to get. Eventually his eyes started to dart around awkwardly, his head dropping to allow his gaze to rove over their booted feet, fingers toying with each other nervously as he tried to articulate words around the deafening quiet. Tuffnut bit back on the laugh welling in the back of his throat.

Calmly he reached out and brushed fingers through the boy's hair, pushing the fine auburn strands behind the round of his ear. Hiccup looked up at him, a rose tint flooding his freckled cheeks, a happy comfort glittering in the rich green of his eyes. His own eyes softened, fingers brushing down the side of Hiccup's slender little throat, following the fading trail of paling brown speckles on his milky skin. "Tuffnut?" His fingers closed over the dip of skin between Hiccup's throat and shoulder, fingertips, mindlessly gentle, pressing into the soft base of his throat. Gods the things that could be done to him. The things he could make this boy's body do..."Tuff?"


	22. Abandon All Hope

-_"Take my hand, close your eyes, and let me lead you into sweet oblivion..."-_

Tuffnut blinked the thoughts away, leashing the monster within him, wrenching back on its reigns as he tried to remember what he had been doing before hand. Hiccup's fingers caressed over the side of his hand, gently bringing his eyes back to his emerald own. He removed his hand, watching the skin of the boy's throat redden in the shape of his fingertips; hadn't been with him for more than a few seconds and already he was hurting him. Hiccup wouldn't let go of his hand though, instead twined his fingers around his own, giving a light smile in effort to assuage the frown he was wearing.

"Hiccup, you need to make sure you want this. You need to make sure that you understand what you're getting in to." He knew his tone was a little firm and was probably coming off as a little crass and harsh, but he meant every word he had spoken. He couldn't be held responsible for what he would do the brunette. He couldn't have this turning back on him if the boy decided he didn't like what was being given to him. They were fast approaching the point of no return, and he didn't want to be the one to break it to Hiccup if he decided he didn't want to do this anymore. There would be no looking back after this.

"O-of course I know what I'm getting in to. I wouldn't have come up here if I DIDN'T want this, Tuff." He shook his head, squeezing his hand a second time, Tuffnut turning his head to eye him suspiciously. He sighed and shook his head lightly, as though he couldn't believe he was having to explain himself. "WHY do you keep FIGHTING me? Why can't you just trust that if I'm fighting this hard for what you have to offer, then I OBVIOUSLY WANT it?" This time Tuffnut pulled his gaze away completely, eying the dragons as they lay in their stalls, rumbling and grumbling with sulfur tinted sleep.

"Because I don't know if I'll be able to stop once I get started." He turned to level his gaze on Hiccup again, watching the boy flinch beneath the weight of the ominous words. Flinching was not a good sign. He turned to face the brunette completely again, dropping his sword to the ground with a clatter, reaching out with his free hand to wrap it around their already linked hands between them. Hiccup glanced down, watching him encase his hand with both his own before glancing back into the set of his eyes.

"Make sure you WANT this, Hiccup. You turn back now or you don't at all." Hiccup shifted on his feet for a moment, biting at his lower lip and making Tuffnut wish he could lean down to do the task for him. After a moment he looked up at him again with an unsteady smile, releasing a nervous laugh before rubbing his free hand through the hair on the back of his neck.

"I-I thought you said you were going to let ME decide whether or not I loved you over the course of our visits." He giggled nervously again, looking away when Tuffnut only let a small portion of the bitter smile in his eyes reach down to tug up a corner of his lips. He squeezed Hiccup's little hand, having to remind himself not to do it too hard, for fear of breaking every bone in the little appendage. Hiccup tossed his gaze back up at him, another light blush running across his freckles when their gazes locked for a second time.

"And you still can. You can love me as we continue this and everything afterward, or you can hate me, but whether you hate being at my side or love being at my side, you WILL be at my side. It all just depends on if you walk away now or not."


	23. Second Thoughts?

_~~**~~Yay! I'm back with more pieces! I'm sorry it took so long...I actually wouldn't of posted this if I didn't feel so guilty for leaving such a cliff hanger for so long^^; I don't really like how this piece turned out...nor it's next two...I feel like it's repetitive and childish...The creativity bug just won't bite me in the ass and hasn't for WEEKS -_-; Please forgive! But, I do hope all of you enjoy and thank you so much for holding out for this long! I'm sorry I couldn't give you something better^^; Please review and let me know what you think! I do LOVE to hear from readers! Thankyou so much for continuing to read! Enjoy!~~**~~_

_"If You steal my life...my regrets are few..."_

His skin tasted like sweat. Blood, dirt, and sweat. For some reason, Hiccup got the feeling it wouldn't ever taste like anything different. Bits of hay were strung through his platinum hair, catching roughly on his trembling fingers as they pushed through the damp tangles. He still wasn't sure what to do with his hands...He kept pushing them through Tuffnut's hair, wincing every time it caught and pulled, unable to still the fearful trembling the digits refused to give up. Tuffnut seemed to have every idea in the world on what to do with his hands though.

They traveled and groped every inch of his body, lifting and pulling, pushing and gripping every part of him that he left open. Hiccup felt the brand of those calloused fingertips sink through his bones and into his soul. The tip of Tuffnut's tongue collided with his throat, the heat enough to ignite flames beneath his skin. A hand wrapped in his hair, ripping his head back, pushing a gasp of surprised pain from between his lips as the muscle found its way beneath his chin and over his jaw.

Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, neck aching at the craning angle it was forcefully being held in, hands wrapped around Tuffnut's neck in fear of being dropped to the stones beneath him. The blonde's free hand latched onto his hip, dragging his lower body harder into his own, pushing Hiccup's thighs wider to accept the breadth of his own hips. Heat and strength pressed against his groin, sending a chill up his spine as sharp teeth nipped their way to his earlobe.

"You're trembling." The rumbling words jolted him out of whatever confused passion he had lost himself to. He flinched, eyes opening to flicker over to the slate of Tuffnut's own, watching flecks of gold spark to life beneath the narrow of his lashes. The viking was terrifying up close.

"I-I am not..." Tuffnut's eyes closed, the tip of his tongue sliding around the shell of his ear in a long, smooth stroke, closing his eyes as well. He took a breath, hearing it shiver over his lips and wincing. He just couldn't stop.

"You don't HAVE to do this. Stop NOW; if you need." Tuffnut's face slid from his own, hand releasing his hair to simply wrap around the back of his neck. He groaned softly in relief, the blonde's strong fingers massaging away the pain in the muscles they seemed to know they had inflicted. His head fell back not seconds after being released, mouth opening with a gasping whimper as the blonde's tongue drug over the dark flesh of his nipple.

"W-wait..." He blinked, trying to remember to breathe as the taut flesh slid between Tuffnut's teeth and into the suffocating heat of his mouth. The boy smirked, something slightly mocking in the breath of a laugh that escaped his nostrils as he ground the sensitive skin between his teeth. Hiccup whined, dragging a foot over the cobblestones as new waves of painful bliss rolled through his body; once again he found himself at a loss for how to proceed with what he was being offered. The short of his nails sunk into the muscles of Tuffnut's back, twisting and clawing without thought as the blonde continued to taunt and tease.

The hand that had been resting on his hip found its way to the warmth between his legs, sliding between the press of their bodies to wrap around his hardened length. Another gasp as the talented hand squeezed and pulled with a gentle force; he could feel the blush flooding his cheeks as he tried to blink breath back into himself. "T-Tuff...w-wait..." The blonde's head reared up, looming over him for a brief second before his mouth came crashing down against his own, tongue invading with a punishing force. He couldn't help it, he opened up to him on the heat of a moan.

A tremor passed through his entirety, the twisting and tugging of the boy's rough hand the only thing to pull him away from his dominating kiss. He broke gasping for air, one of his own hands flying to find its way between them, pressing flat against his scarred chest as the blonde's mouth kissed and nipped its way down his throat once more. "Pl-please..." The slick muscle passed between two solid fingers, feeling like it was in a vice of pained pleasure he wasn't sure if he enjoyed or not. Once again Tuffnut's eyes caught his own, watching his as they fluttered with the dizziness of an oncoming wave of ecstasy.

"No." Suddenly it was gone. He whined, furrowing his brow and opening his eyes in confusion, hand sliding from the boy's chest to quickly reach between them and finish the feeling. "I said no." Bone shattering pain gripped his wrist suddenly, shocking him back into thought as his wrist was twisted backwards and slammed against the stones.

"Tuff...!" He grit his teeth against the pain, suddenly feeling the hand behind his neck release, his body falling to the floor carelessly as well. The back of his head landed in the palm of the blonde's hand, only doing so much to soften the blow, the breath leaving his body in a single gust. Tuffnut grabbed at his hips again, dragging his flattened body farther against him, the tip of his own length pushing against Hiccup's body like a brand.

"Wa-wait...I don't know if I can do this...!" Fear took over him again, his hand flying to flatten against the pale whelp of a scar on the blonde's chest. Tuffnut slid two fingers over the slick of his length again, rolling another shudder up his spine to flutter behind his lashes.

"No turning back." The blonde growled, bending over him before pushing the two slicked fingers into him. Hiccup yelped, fireworks exploding in a torrent of immeasurable pain behind his eyes, his upper body flying up to collide into Tuffnut's own. Tears beaded in the corners of his eyes again, his arms wrapping around Tuffnut's still neck, hands doing their best to bury into the flesh of his back.


	24. The Driving Force

_"...Help, I'm alive...My heart is beatin' like a hammer..."_

Slowly the digits sunk deeper, widening as they pushed, setting him to trembling once more. "It hurts!" He yelped again, trying to twist away from the source of the pain, no matter how slow and gentle it was. Tuffnut's free hand wrapped around his back, tightening in a death-like grip, refusing to let him move. The warm moisture of his breath rolled over his cheek and ear, breezing through the auburn tendrils of his hair as the tears spilt down his cheek.

"Soon...hold out for soon..." The blonde seemed incapable of speech beyond growls and rumbles and a few stilted sentences. Hiccup winced, his body tensing against the foreign feeling, face burying in the side of the viking's neck on a whimper that threatened to break into a sob. "Relax..." He kissed the strain of the tendon in the side of his neck, nipping softly at the strong muscle. Hiccup drew in a quivering breath, nodding lightly before taking in a deep breath, willing to do anything to assuage the fire surrounding those fingers.

After a moment Tuffnut lifted his head, releasing the grip of his arm enough to allow Hiccup to lean back and blink tears away, locking eyes with him. "Just hold out for soon..." Another whimper of agreement as the tears were kissed from his bruised lips, the soft passion flowing from the blonde suddenly gaining hold of his attention more than the slow movement of the fingers. He released a slow breath of air, nodding his head lightly once again, threading a trembling hand through the matted blonde strands once more as his tongue tangled against the blonde's. He hadn't been this gentle the entire time...There had been nothing but love, but there had been no kisses for the pain or apologies for the grough...

Once again he pulled away before Hiccup really wanted to. This time the fingers pulled away too, Hiccup's body relaxing on a sigh of relief, his mind recoiling in something between upset at the loss and horror at the new sensation throbbing through him. "Trust me." His body fell to the stones on a breath of a sigh again, his muscles tensing enough to stop most of the loss of air this time in advance. Once more Tuffnut loomed over him, dominating him in the dark of his shadow, slate gray and shimmering gold flickering at him with nothing but love; even through their commanding narrow.

His body drug across the floor for a second time, legs wrapping around Tuffnut's waist, ankles locking behind his back as Tuffnut lifted a hand to wrap around his length once again. He closed his eyes to the touch, arching into it with a small smile, the wave already building back to almost a full crest, never having truly settled from the first. Tuffnut smirked, something flickering in the gold of his eyes, his free hand latching onto the curve of Hiccup's narrow hip with bruising force before his hips drove forward.

Hiccup's eyes shot open to a blind black, lips parting with a silent scream as a lightening rod of pain split his entire body in half, organs parting and shifting to make room for the new conquering force. For a second they were both still, muscles coiled and ready to spring at the smallest trigger, bodies adjusting to the new feelings, chests laboring beneath staggered breath. Tuffnut started to slide backwards, hips slowly pulling themselves from the harsh press of Hiccup's own, making the brunette grimace in pain. "N-no! Don't move!" A hand flew up to claw at his shoulder, desperately willing him to hold still, for the rest of his life if he had to.

Tuffnut felt a snarl building in his chest, his upper lip drawing into the sneer already. He gripped the boy's flesh, moving past surface bruises, aiming to mark even the tissue beneath. "Hold out...for soon..." It hurt to speak, the lump in his throat too big to move words past. Gods he was having trouble even seeing the boy beneath him; he kept filtering between solid red and visions of the brunette's face. Generally when he got to see Hiccup's face again it was frightened or hurt; it made him feel like a monster. Then the real monster would take hold and it was all he could do not to let it tear into the boy like it begged.

"N-no! It hurts!" The nails sunk deeper into his shoulder, his eyes threatening to roll back in their sockets at the shivers of joy that sharp pain sent through him. His hips pulled farther away, unable to ignore his body's screams any longer; but easily able to ignore the boy's. The warm muscles tensed around him, threatening to push him over the edge before anything even got started. "D-don't! Please, T-Tuff...!" He whined, forcing a growl from his lips. There was no turning back now.

"I said SOON." He snarled, slamming his hips back against the boy's, listening to him scream; whether it was from pain or pleasure he didn't know. He slid back again, driving forward faster than before, repeating the motions as fast as he could, refusing to let the brunette's body do anything but learn to accept and enjoy the feeling being forced on it.

Gods he was sick.


	25. How Soon is Now

~~**~~_This scene really lost the power I was going for when I wrote it...it was so beautiful in my head-_-; But, at least you get the general idea until I can come back and rip it up and do it again^^ And...as obviously seen, this will NOT be the last few pieces like I suspected they would...BUT, it will probably be the next set^^; Again, thankyou for reading! I'll post more soon! Please enjoy!~~**~~_

_"...You're gonna eat me alive..."_

Hiccup sucked in a breath of air, gripping hold of each of Tuffnut's broad shoulders, driving his nails in as far as he could. Blood had begun to bead around his fingertips, but he didn't think the blonde much cared; and he didn't either, so long as it kept him anchored to his sanity. Tuffnut had been right; that's what scared him. The longer the blonde's giant length drove in and out of him, the easier it had become to take, and the better it had started to feel. He was frightened to admit it to the viking; though he knew his lengthening moans were probably giving him away. Tears rolled down his cheeks again, his back lifting from the stones as Tuffnut struck a chord in him he didn't even know existed. THIS was his "soon"...And it scared him to admit that he was loving it too much for it to stop.

Tuffnut groaned as the boy's lithe body relaxed beneath him finally, bending and molding to his will. Hot. So hot, so innocent. He hadn't felt something so accepting and beautiful before. Nothing had been connected to him like this before. He pulled Hiccup closer, burying to the hilt in him, praying he could connect them even farther. Hiccup gasped, his hips arching into the touch, lashes fluttering over his freckles once more as Tuffnut watched him and created the motion again. "Tuff..." Nails bit into his shoulders even farther, a trickle of blood rolling down his back, the whisper stirring the red haze of the beast again.

This was HIS boy. This was HIS Hicca. His body to touch, his skin to kiss, his lips to bruise until they bled. That mouth could only speak HIS name. No, it could only SCREAM his name.

Tuffnut snarled again, a hand reaching out to wrap around Hiccup's throat. Hiccup bent his head back farther, moaning softly as Tuffnut's motions picked up speed and force. The fingers around his throat tightened, Tuffnut's body bending farther over his own, "Mine." Hiccup smiled, the words breezing over him ominously, even as they warmed something in him. The tone was terrifying, but the thought was actually beautiful. Yes, he was Tuffnut's.

"Mine." A little more force behind the word and the push, the fingers pressing hard enough into his throat to shorten his breath. He blinked up at the blonde, watching his upper lip pull back in a snarl, his second hand driving into his hip hard enough to draw blood.

"T-Tuff...you're hurting m-me..." He dropped a hand, trying to pry Tuffnut's fingers from around his throat. The boy bent his head closer, a single finger strong enough to keep Hiccup's head pressed back into the floor. Stars started to dance in front of his eyes. And, strangely, the wave was building.

"Mine." He gasped as his lower half was basically lifted off the floor, Tuffnut somehow managing to drive even farther into him. The bliss dizzied him, his brow furrowing as his mind tried to figure out which it wanted to focus on, the threat or the cresting euphoria.

"T-Tuff..." He could hardly get the words out now, hardly make anything but a whisper. Tuffnut's lips brushed against his own, a preemptive shudder running through his form as the stars started to throb between him and the dominating slate hues. His back arched from the floor as well, his entire form tensing as his breath stopped short in his chest, the spots threatening to swallow him as the wave threatened to drown him.

And then, the motions stopped. Everything stilled. Hiccup blinked past the spots, wanting to scream as the boy who's lips were poised just above his own, heavy pants rolling over him in moist clouds. "MINE!" The bark echoed through the dead silence of the barn, tears welling in Hiccup's eyes, confusion wracking his addled mind.

"Yes, yours!" Tuffnut slammed into him again, the darkness swallowing his vision whole, the words trailing into a never ending scream as the wave finally broke. The hand released, Tuffnut's lips falling to mesh against his own once more, hand moving to cup the back of his head as their bodies locked together for a final time; white hot heat engulfing Hiccup's entire body.

Soon was so beautiful.


	26. Marking the END

_~~**~~ Yay for the ending to "This Sickness"! I'm sorry the story drug out for so long! I just lost motivation half way through and then the story lost purpose...and the more I tacked onto it the more I felt like I was killing it...so I went ahead and tried to put it out of its misery with this ending^^; I'm sorry for disappointing if I did! Please, forgive! ;_;_

_But, other than that all I have to say is...this ending is short and sweet^^ I know it doesn't REALLY have Tuffnut in it, but I didn't feel the need to do anything from his POV for this...I started to, but when I went back and reread Hiccup's little POV piece here I was completely taken with it. It's such a simple and clean way to end things^^ Hiccup's gotten caught, yes, but he's absolutely THRILLED with the way things have turned out and the two are OBVIOUSLY a VERY happy couple lol_

_So...I hope you all enjoyed! Thankyou so much for reading! Hope to see you again! Thankyou!~~**~~  
_

_"I'll follow you into the dark..."_

He had been telling everyone they were from a bad wrestling match with a bit of leather and string. That he had been working on a new tail fin for Toothless and had gotten tangled in it when he was trying to put it on the restless dragon. Of course, even he knew the excuse was weak and strange. How did it really make sense that he had gotten rope and leather wrapped around his throat so tight? When he was supposedly just trying to put a tail fin on...

He smiled as he glanced over it in the mirror again. They were purple today...a darker shade than yesterday...some of the red in their centers fading...The markings roped around his throat in odd sets of three and four. On the right side he had four, basically one atop the other, the three from the left threading together with them. His Adam's apple was just basically a solid block of purple and red with black trimmings, the bruises spidering as they reached farther around either side of his neck. They were beautiful.

Like some sort of strange choker or collar...something letting everyone secretly know who put them there. Everyone knew something had happened, just one look at them and you could tell they were from hands wrapping around his throat and squeezing...no one knew EXACTLY what had happened to put them there...But, if he watched their eyes, he could almost imagine they did. Almost imagine they could see the blonde throttling him until they both screamed in climax.

He had been marked. And, strangely, he was loving every minuet of it. The biggest part of him was dreading the day the bruises finally faded way, was trying to think of a way to get the viking to make them again before it happened; to make new ones, to make BETTER ones.

"Hiccup!" He jolted, spinning on his heel to face the bathroom door with wide eyes, fingers tightening over the marks instinctively. He closed his eyes, taking a breath as his mind registered the voice and the tone of the voice, understood what it wanted.

"Don't worry, Dad, I'm still here." He didn't bother to open the door, rather called through it. Didn't matter, when he wanted to, the Chief of Berk could hear a rat scurrying ten miles away.

"Alright...what're yah doin' up there that's takin' so damned long? Yah drownin'?" Gobber's laugh accompanied the comment, Hiccup rolling his eyes before turning to face the mirror again.

"Yeah, Dad, that's EXACTLY what I'm up to." He grumbled, knowing his father didn't really expect an answer this time anyways. Just as long as he knew Hiccup hadn't left the house again, he was fine. It was one of the reasons Gobber was over for dinner, well, over for however long this took. He and Stoic were taking turns keeping HICCUP under house arrest as well.

He had gotten caught sneaking off to see Tuffnut.

And, low and behold, it was Astrid who had caught him and ratted him out too. Not that he was surprised, he knew her well enough to know she would eventually get her revenge, he just hadn't been expecting it to bite him in the ass as hard as it did. He didn't think she knew anything other than he was going to visit Tuffnut, most likely-in her mind-out of guilt for getting him in trouble; but, part of him hoped and prayed she knew something. That she had SEEN something or HEARD something...Anything for her to know what he was doing now and WHO he was doing it with...and THOROUGHLY enjoying himself as well.

Actually, he just wanted SOMEONE to know. He didn't care who, he just really wanted someone to know. He bent farther over the wash basin, tilting his head back a little more to examine the marks closer, his fingers rubbing over them smoothly. He couldn't help it, he just liked to look at them...He was loved. So much so that the person who loved him, wanted to MARK him. Wanted to make SURE no one would confuse him for being single or up for grabs, wanted to make SURE everyone knew he was loved; if they didn't know WHO he was loved by, they would at least know he was LOVED.

Hiccup just wanted to reveal in it for the rest of his life. Hence why the mirror had become his best friend during the day. He only looked at them during the day because at night...he had another best friend. One that knew how to steal across the village without being seen, how to slip in through the window without being detected...Someone tall, blonde, and dominating...Someone who knew how to leave the perfect marks and make him scream for joy while doing it. Someone he loved JUST as much as they loved him.

Someone who made him happy.

~~**~~_ NOTE!: I'm writing a bit of a "sequel" to this story^^ I've written a VERY LATE Christmas fic as a sort've middle bridge between the two (a bit of fluff and filler^^) but I'm writing a new story entitled "Waiting on the Sun" with this pairing! Everyone's older in it and it will be a bit of a Ragnarok-ish story, if everything goes as planned^^ Please keep an eye out for it! Thankyou so much, again, for reading!~~**~~_


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